CHAPTER XIII
ASHES
The rest which Robert Dorlon had obtained in the preceding night, the fact that he found his horse also apparently ready for the long journey, as well as the knowledge that the men in Fort Montgomery were confident and hopeful, did much to restore the spirits of the young soldier. The early morning air and the very beauty of the scenery through which he was passing also combined to increase his confidence as he rode swiftly forward. There was a haze upon the summits of the purple hills and an air of peacefulness over all the region that in themselves were marvelously comforting, and when Robert had left the fort some miles behind, it almost seemed to him that war was something which had no real existence. Even the winds had died away, and the Hudson itself, as he obtained occasional glimpses of its waters, was as quiet as the peaceful landscape all about him.
When, however, two hours had elapsed and he found himself once more near the abode of
