again; farewell." With one long lingering embrace, the unhappy pair seemed willing to procrastinate the hour of parting to an indefinite period. At last the General tore himself from her embrace, gave one last look at her form as it sunk upon the floor, and in the next moment was spurring his high mettled courser into a flying speed through the wilder

ness.

His little army was in readiness and awaiting his arrival. The General's feelings, which had been racked and torn by the parting with his wife, soon regained their natural tone; and as he neared the capital and saw the flag of his enemy proudly waving o'er the palace of the Governor, his feelings were excited to the highest pitch of ardour. The sun was setting as the army formed its line within half cannon shot of Jamestown. From the eminence where Bacon had determined to form his entrenchments, they could perceive the breast works which had been thrown up by the Governor's party in defence of the town, and behind them numbers of troops who seemed awaiting their approach, to sally out and attack them. In the river was a large fleet of ships which had been anchored close to the town, and were stretched in a long line down the shore. Bacon gazed upon these formidable preparations for a considerable space of time; he saw at once that if he could maintain his position on the heights, he could soon drive the Governor from the town and force the shipping from their moorings with his cannon. He turned to his troops, and after the military style of the age, he ordered a shot to be fired upon

the town and every trumpet to breathe its loudest note of defiance. He then dismounted, and with his own hands drew the lines for an entrenchment, and exhorted his wearied followers to persevere a little longer and place themselves in a situation that would allow them to rest in perfect security. His exhortations produced the desired effect, and his troops, although wearied and exhausted by three days' hard marching, received his orders with loud acclamations, and at once proceeded to erect the necessary breastworks and entrenchments. Trees were felled, earth was dug and brush wood put in requisition for the important defence, and ere the moon, then in her third quarter, had risen to the centre of the sky, the troops were enabled to rest in security and peace behind a bulwark which might bid defiance to any effort of the opposite party.

The troops had long since retired to rest; every thing was as silent as the grave; not a single sound could be heard among the many which formed the host at either camp, save now and then the deep mouthed baying of some canine devotee of the moon ; the broad white sails of the shipping hung loosely and heavily upon the spars, while the red blood flag of St. George suspended from the mast-heads, was unruffled by a single breeze. The Insurgent General lay upon his couch wearied but anxious: in vain he courted the embraces of the fickle god of slumber, in vain he sought by every effort to soothe his wearied senses into a sedative mood; uneasy sensations concerning the event of the morrow's battle and dread of its consequences in case of de

feat, the last sad dying expression of his beloved Clara's countenance as she sunk from his parting embrace upon the floor, roused his feelings almost to madness. His breath grew thick, the blood rushed through his surchaged veins with the most intense rapidity, the atmosphere of his tent appeared to become dense and oppressive, and at last throwing his cloak around him. he rushed out of doors in the direction of the river. Unconscious of the route which he was following, he ceased not his course until he found himself within the verge of the enemy's encampment. He paused and listened with breathless anxiety for the challenge of the sentry which he expected every moment to burst upon his ear, but none assailed him. Having cautiously examined every point of the enemy's defence, and having ascertained the most assailable situations in case of storming, he was preparing to return to his camp, when the sounds of some persons in conversation, proceeding from the only course by which he could escape, arrested his footsteps and caused him to seek some place of concealment. A large oak, whose massive branches flung their shadows far over the surrounding plain, presented the only prospect for escaping observation. Having placed himself behind its trunk in such a position as to enable him to view the approach of the unknown personages, he stood in breathless anxiety until he saw their shadows preceding their footsteps from behind the corner of the Governor's Palace. The strangers who appeared to be in deep consultation, walked so slowly and deliberately towards the spot where

the General was standing, as to allow him opportunity to notice their appearance very particularly, and as they grew nearer, to discriminate in the tall, majestic figure of the one, the person of Governor Berkeley, and in the bluff bold visage and careless swagger of his companion, the treacherous Larimore, who had caused him the loss of his fleet. At sight of the latter, all the Insurgent Commander's prudence and caution were upon the point of vanishing; he slipped his cloak in a fold upon the left shoulder, and having half drawn bis rapier, was preparing to rush upon the traitor and at once put him to death, but his better reason prevailed, and clenching the handle of his weapon with the grasp of desperation and fate, he retained his position. Meantime, the others had approached to the very verge of the line of demarcation formed by the outer edge of the shade beneath which Bacon was standing, and their conversation could be distinctly heard. "I'll assure you, Governor Berkeley," said the one in a tone intended to be confidential and monitory, "I'll assure you, Sir, that it is folly to attack that desperado in his entrenchments; his troops have been labouring all the night till within a short time since, and from what can be seen of their operations, they are impregnably fortified."

"To-morrow,

"I care not," said the Governor. at sun-rise, we attack him; we have the advantage of double numbers, and must prevail. Delay is ruinous to our cause; the news of his Indian victory has spread like a flash of flame throughout the whole Colony, and disaffection and treachery walk un

Disaffected, did I say? man sincerely devoted Even you, who pre

masked even among our partizans. His force will be increased ten fold in a short space of time, and we must either crush him at once, or abandon all hopes of ever regaining our power. Curses on the villain," exclaimed the old Cavalier, in a sudden paroxism of rage. "Could we but get him in our possession all troubles would cease; and to-morrow evening's sun shall see him lying a headless corpse, or my grey hairs shall be trailed in the dust of his entrenchments. Go to your fleet, Larimore; man your vessels with the most faithful of your crews, and send the rest on shore; we will put those who are a little disaffected in the front of to-morrow's fight. 1 believe I have not one to me in my whole army. tend to be so zealous in my cause, I suspect as much as I do any one; you have already deserted one cause, and I know not how soon success upon the other side might reclaim you to your former allegiance." During this last part of the Governor's speech, Bacon could perceive that the ruffian sailor was violently agitated; his whole countenance exhibited symptoms of the storm of passion which was raging in his breast, and for some moments he spoke not a word. At last he exclaimed, "And is this the reward which I receive for my loyalty? and from Sir William Berkeley, too, whom I found skulking about the swamps of Accomac, and restored to the plenitude of his former power. Know you not, Sir, that you are completely in my power, and that the least intimation of your desperate prospects to the