CHAPTER III.
The sight of the horseman in that lonely place excited a strange commotion. Hardly had the young officer uttered his involuntary exclamation, when the three hounds set up a loud baying, and came leaping toward him, the black bear waddled after them, while the timid fawns bounded away into the forest in great alarm.
The girl herself, who seemed to be the mistress of this menagerie, turned toward the stranger with the port of the goddess to whom he had compared her. In truth, she resembled nothing so much as a living statue of Diana, for she wore the same short tunic and buskins, and carried the bow and quiver of the patroness of hunting. Her figure and face, with the simple antique knot in which her hair was arranged, confirmed the likeness; and when she hastily fitted an arrow to the bow she carried, it seemed to the young soldier as if he had indeed insulted the privacy of some supernatural being.
Most men in his position would have either turned to flee or made some motion of defense. Not so the hussar.
He remained sitting on his horse, in spite of the menacing appearance of the bloodhounds, without moving a muscle; and the dogs, as soon as they closed in, justified his course, by ceasing to bay, while they ran inquisitively round, snuffing at the horse’s legs, now and then uttering a low growl, but offering no actual violence. The black bear likewise became peaceable, halting at a little distance and sitting up on its haunches, surveying the intruder with a comical air of wisdom.
The girl who had been disturbed, observing the passive attitude of the hussar, hesitated a moment, and finally advanced toward him, with the same haughty and insulted aspect however.
As she came closer, and her eyes ran over the face andequipments of the intruder, the severity of her glance insensibly relaxed. It was not in female nature to look cross at such a dashing young cavalier. He on his part, surveyed her with increasing admiration, as he beheld her purely Grecian face with its frame of golden hair, lighted by great solemn blue eyes.
The girl was the first to speak, in a tone of displeasure.
“Do you know where you are, sir?” she asked. “What made you venture where all men shun to go?”
“Fairest Diana,” began the hussar, half wondering if he were not dreaming.
The girl interrupted him with an expression of surprise.
“How? You know my name?”
“How could I mistake it?” said the hussar, with great adroitness. “The beauty of Diana is famous the world over, and I am the humblest of her worshipers.”
The girl looked at him in amazement. She could not see that the accomplished man of the world was but taking advantage of a lucky accident, to feel his way into her confidence, by a mingling of truth and falsehood in his manner.
“Then who are you that knows me so well?” she asked, artlessly. “I never thought human creature would come nigh our cottage, and you say it is famous.”
“For my name,” said the hussar, smiling, “you may call me Captain Schuyler, if you will. If you would like a shorter name and a pleasanter one, call me Adrian.”
“Adrian is a pretty name,” said the girl, smiling with the frank, fearless innocence that distinguished her every action. “Adrian and Diana are both beautiful.”
“Diana is beautiful,” said the hussar, meaningly; “how beautiful no one knows but me.”
Diana looked up at him inquiringly. Then something seemed to inform her of his meaning, for she flushed hotly and drew herself up with sudden haughtiness, asking:
“What brought you here? Do you not know that it is death to intrude on this mountain? Even the wild Indian shuns it.”
“I have heard that a demon haunts it,” said the hussar, boldly; “but I never dreamed that it wore such a shape as yours.”
At the bold words of the intruder Diana turned pale, and looked apprehensively around her, saying in low tones:
“Do not mention him, foolish Adrian. He will seize you and plunge you into a fiery pit if he hears you. Away, while you have time, or you may repent it. Any moment he may be here.”
“In that case I should like to see him,” said Schuyler, coolly. “I don’t believe in demons, Diana. Your demon is a man, and I am curious to see him. I rode over here expressly to do that.”
“You rode over here to dare the mountain demon?” asked the girl, in a faint tone, as if wonder-stricken. “Man, are you mad? I tell you he has killed every creature that has passed this way for years, and he will kill you, if he finds you.”
The captain of hussars laughed carelessly, and threw up the flap of one of his holsters, from whence he produced a long pistol of elegant finish, and double-barreled.
“That, for his demoniac majesty,” he said, holding up the weapon, “and let him beware how he crosses my path. I have—”
He was interrupted by a suspicious growl from one of the hounds, who had been couched on the grass in seeming contentment since the conference had become peaceful.
The animal rose to its feet and stalked to the edge of the glade, followed by its three companions, snuffing and growling.
A moment later an arrow came from the cover of the mountain-side, grazed the neck of the foremost hound, and whizzed past the hussar, sticking harmlessly in a tree.
The three hounds set up a simultaneous savage bay and dashed headlong into the cover, from whence, a moment later, rose the appalling war-whoop of the Mohawk, as a dozen warriors sprung out, and rushed towards Schuyler and Diana.
In a moment a fierce contest had commenced, the gallant hounds each pinning an Indian by the throat, while the bear rushed into the fight with a savage growl. Adrian Schuyler shot down a savage with his pistol, and wounded a second, then drew his saber, and instinctively looked around for the mysterious girl, Diana.
She had vanished, as if the earth had swallowed her up!
He was too much confused by the sudden attack to think of where she had gone. Already two of the hounds were ripped up by Indian scalping-knives, and the third was transfixed with an arrow.
As he turned toward the Indians, his horse plunging and rearing, the flashes of several rifles were followed by a sharp stinging sensation in his side, and two warriors seized his bridle, while a third rushed at him, tomahawk in hand.
But the hussar was not the man to yield to a surprise. His keen saber played round his head like a flash of light, and in a trice he had cut down one assailant, while the other let go the bridle to escape a second blow.
With a shout of triumph he dashed in his spurs, and the gray charger took him clear of his enemies with a bound. Then, lying down on his saddle to escape the bullets, away went Captain Adrian Schuyler, late of the Zieten Hussars of Prussia, at full speed, through the clearing, passing the stone hut, which seemed to be quite deserted, and darting into the forest beyond.
Arrows and bullets whistled past him as he went, but he was untouched, save by the first graze which he had lately felt. He heard the Indians whooping behind him, and doubted not that they were pursuing, but he felt secure on his swift steed, and his only anxiety seemed to be as to the safety of the strange girl who called herself Diana.
Where she had gone, and whether the Indians had seen her, was an enigma to him as he fled away, but he had no time to lose. The young aid-de-camp was even then on an important mission, and his detour to the Haunted Mountain had cost him valuable time.
Fully resolved to return with sufficient force to investigate the mystery at some future time, the officer galloped on through the woods till he regained once more the road to Derryfield, and pursued his journey at a gallop.