A low cry broke from her lips; she dropped the heavy swivel-
balls; and then, like a bird, swiftly, with a rustling swoop, she
went past Hamilton and down the stair.
For perhaps a full minute the man stood there motionless,
stupefied, amazed; and when at length he recovered himself, it was
with difficulty that he followed her. Everything seemed to hinder
him. When he reached the open air, however, he quickly regained
his activity of both mind and body, and looked in all directions.
The clouds were breaking into parallel masses with streaks of sky
between. The moon hanging aslant against the blue peeped forth
just in time to show him a flying figure which, even while he
looked, reached the postern, opened it and slipped through.
With but a breath of hesitation between giving the alarm and
following Alice silently and alone, he chose the latter. He was a
swift runner and light footed. With a few bounds he reached the
little gate, which was still oscillating on its hinges, darted
through and away, straining every muscle in desperate pursuit,
gaining rapidly in the race, which bore eastward along the course
twice before chosen by Alice in leaving the stockade.
CHAPTER XVII.
A MARCH THROUGH COLD WATER
On the fifth day of February, 1779, Colonel George Rogers Clark
led an army across the Kaskaskia River and camped.
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