You
stand by that forban, that scelerat, that bandit, and help him.
Oh, yes, you'll get mercy! Yes, the same mercy that he showed to
my poor little Alice! Your scalp, Monsieur, if you please! A small
matter; it won't hurt much!"
"But, for the sake of old friendship, Gaspard, for the sake--"
"Ziff! poor little Alice!"
"But I swear to you that I--"
"Tout de meme, Monsieur, je vais vous scalper maintenant."
In fact he had taken off a part of Maisonville's scalp, when a
party of soldiers, among whom was Maisonville's brother, a brave
fellow and loyal to the American cause, were attracted by his
cries and came to his rescue.
M. Roussillon struggled savagely, insisting upon completing his
cruel performance; but he was at last overpowered, partly by brute
force and partly by the pleading of Maisonville's brother, and
made to desist. The big man wept with rage when he saw the
bleeding prisoner protected. "Eh bien! I'll keep what I've got,"
he roared, "and I'll take the rest of it next time."
He shook the tuft of hair at Maisonville and glared like a mad
bull.
Two or three other members of Lamothe's band were captured about
the same time by some of the French militiamen; and Clark, when on
his round cheering and directing his forces, discovered that these
prisoners were being used as shields. Some young creoles, gay with
drink and the stimulating effect of fight, had bound the poor
fellows and were firing from behind them! Of course the commander
promptly put an end to this cruelty; but they considered it
exquisite fun while it lasted.
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