CHAPTER XVIII.
BLACK DONALD'S LAST ATTEMPT.
Who can express the horror of that night,
When darkness lent his robes to monster fear?
And heaven's black mantle, banishing the light,
Made everything in fearful form appear.
--BRANDON.
Let it not be supposed that Black Donald had forgotten his promise
to Colonel Le Noir, or was indifferent to its performance.
But many perilous failures had taught him caution.
He had watched and waylaid Capitola in her rides. But the girl
seemed to bear a charmed safety; for never once had he caught sight
of her except in company with her groom and with Craven Le Noir. And
very soon by eavesdropping on these occasions, he learned the secret
design of the son to forestall the father, and run off with the
heiress.
And as Black Donald did not foresee what success Craven Le Noir
might have with Capitola, he felt the more urgent necessity for
prompt action on his own part.
He might, indeed, have brought his men and attacked and overcome
Capitola's attendants, in open day; but the enterprise must needs
have been attended with great bloodshed and loss of life, which
would have made a sensation in the neighborhood that Black Donald,
in the present state of his fortunes, was by no means ambitious of
daring.
In a word, had such an act of unparalleled violence been attempted,
the better it succeeded the greater would have been the indignation
of the people, and the whole country would probably have risen and
armed themselves and hunted the outlaws, as so many wild beasts,
with horses and hounds.
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