The night was so
dark they could see nothing, and terror-struck, they sat gazing into the
impenetrable darkness of their cave, not even daring to speak to each
other, hardly even to breathe. Wolfe gave a low grumbling bark, and resumed
his couchant posture as if nothing worthy of his attention was near to
cause the disturbance. Catharine trembled and wept, and prayed for safety
against the Indians and beasts of prey, and Hector and Louis listened, till
they fell asleep in spite of their fears. In the morning, it seemed as if
they had dreamed some terrible dream, so vague were their recollections of
the fright they had had, but the cause was soon perceived. A large stone
that had been heaved up with the clay that adhered to the roots and fibres,
had been loosened, and had fallen on the ground, close to the spot where
Catharine lay. So ponderous was the mass, that had it struck her, death
must have been the consequence of the blow; and Hector and Louis beheld it
with fear and amazement, while Catharine regarded it as a proof of Divine
mercy and protection from Him in whose hand her safety lay.
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