The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: prepared to leave it, when he saw his friend with the axe
advancing towards him from the distant end of the gallery, half
whistling, a Gaelic tune. To have shown any want of confidence,
would have been at once impolitic, and unbecoming his military
character; so the Captain, putting the best face upon his
situation he could, whistled a Swedish retreat, in a tone still
louder than the notes of his sentinel; and retreating pace by
pace, with an air of indifference, as if his only purpose had
been to breathe a little fresh air, he shut the door in the face
of his guard, when the fellow had approached within a few paces
of him.
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