The accuracy of this deduction was
proved by the presence of the smoke column on the hill. Indeed, the
opinion was generally held that its spiral clouds were denser than at
any previous hour, thus showing that the defenders were endeavoring to
make known their continued existence.
Elsie awoke from her trance, but, in returning to life, she was
transformed into a stern, resourceful, commanding woman. Her face had
lost its gentleness; the pleasant curves and dimples of mouth and chin
had hardened into a sort of determination; even her slight, graceful
figure seemed to assume a certain squareness which betokened her
resolve to act as her lover would have acted were he the watcher from
the ship and she the prisoner pent behind that screen of rock and wild
forest.
None suspected the mighty force which worked this resolution in her
nature. She conducted herself with a cunning that was wholly foreign
to her character. Her first care was to hoodwink her companions into
the belief that the strain of the day had passed. She accepted a cup
of tea brought by Isobel, expressed her sorrow that if by word or look
she had given cause for offence, and entered eagerly into the pros and
cons of the debate which sprang up as to the best course to pursue on
the following day.
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