At their feet the combat was taking the gigantic proportions of an epic. The Indians rushed with rage, and uttering loud cries, against the intrenchments, where the Americans received them with musket shots or at the point of the bayonet. But the fire continued to increase, the soldiers fell one after another; all promised soon to be over. To the menace of White Eyes, the captain had replied by a smile of contempt. Quick as lightning he discharged his pistol at the hunter; the latter let his gun drop, his right arm was broken. The captain sprang upon him with a shout of joy. The half breed was knocked down by this unexpected shock. Then his enemy, placing his knee upon his breast, and looking at him for an instant, said, with a bitter laugh,-- "Well! was I mistaken?" "No," the half-breed replied in a firm tone; "I am a fool--my life belongs to you--kill me!" "Be satisfied I shall reserve you for an Indian death." "You must be quick, then, if you wish to avenge yourself," the half-breed said, ironically, "for it will soon be too late." "I have time enough. Why did you betray us, you miserable wretch?" "Of what consequence is that to you?" "I wish to know." "Well then, be satisfied," the hunter said, after an instant of silence; "the white men, your brothers, were the murderers of all my family, and I wished to avenge them." "But we had done nothing to you, had we?" "Are you not white men? Kill me and put an end to all this. I can die joyfully, for numbers of victims will follow me to the tomb." "Well, since it is so," said the captain, with a sinister smile, "I will send you to join your brothers; you see I am a loyal adversary." Then pressing his knees strongly on the chest of the hunter, to prevent his escape from the punishment he reserved for him, he cried-- "In the Indian fashion!" And taking his knife, he seized with his left hand the half-breed's thick and tangled head of hair, and with the greatest dexterity scalped him. The hunter could not restrain a cry of frightful agony at this unexpected mutilation. The blood flowed in torrents from his bare skull, and inundated his face. "Kill me! kill me!" he said, "this pain is horrible!" "Do you find it so?" said the captain. "Oh! kill me! kill me!" "What!" said the captain, shrugging his shoulders, "do you take me for a butcher? No, I will restore you to your worthy friends." He then took the hunter by the legs, and dragging him to the edge of the platform, pushed him with his foot. The miserable creature instinctively endeavoured to hold himself up by seizing, with his left hand, the extremity of a post which projected outward. For an instant he remained suspended in space. He was hideous to behold; his denuded skull, his face, over which streams of black blood continued flowing, contracted by pain and terror; his whole body agitated by convulsive movements, inspired horror and disgust. "Pity! pity!" he murmured.