There seemed no help for it, but complying with the brigand's request.
The log cabin could not be successfully stormed without a fearful
sacrifice of the lives of my men--which I was unwilling to make.
Not but that _they_ were willing--one and all of them. Stung by the
insulting tone of the robber-chief, they were ready to rush forward,
defiant of death, and die in the act of obtaining vengeance.
The vile threat still ringing in their ears alone restrained them--as it
did myself. No one doubted that the monster meant what he had said; and
we knew that, if driven to desperation, he would carry out his atrocious
design.
There was no alternative but to make terms with him--the best we could
obtain.
Stepping back behind the trees, and summoning around me half a dozen of
my most experienced men, we proceeded to discuss the points of
capitulation.
No words were wasted. Tortured by the thought of that loved form still
trembling in the loathsome embrace of the brigand, I lost no time in
taking the opinions of my comrades.
As my voice ruled the council, they coincided with my own; which was:
that the robbers should be permitted to leave the place without further
molestation--their captives to remain with us.
To let these scoundrels escape, after having them so completely in our
power, was a source of the bitterest chagrin to every one of our party
It was like abandoning the object of our expedition. But, from the high
tone taken by Carrasco, I could tell that less liberal terms would be
rejected; and I was far from being confident of his compliance with
these. I had a thought--shared by my comrades--that there was still
something behind, and that another trick was intended to be played upon
us. In the speeches addressed to us, there was an ambiguity we could
ill understand. Despite his professed fearlessness, the robber-chief
could not but be sensible of the danger he was in; and the _sang froid_
displayed by him was scarcely reconcilable with the situation.
Perhaps at this moment he was in the act of perpetrating some piece of
strategy--some villainous _ruse_?
We could not think what it might be, nor even that any was possible; and
therefore no one gave speech to the vague suspicion, though all felt it.
It was only as a presentiment--and for this reason remained unspoken.
It had the effect, however, of urging us to hasten our deliberations,
and bring them to a more speedy conclusion.
The terms settled, I stepped once more to the front--with the intention
of making them known to the enemy.
There was no one in sight; but I supposed that the bandit was still upon
the housetop--crouching below the level of the parapet.