this have I forsworn my race, and become—­what you now behold me—­a savage both in garb and character.  But this matters not,” he continued, fiercely and impatiently, “your doom is sealed; and before another sun has risen, your stern father’s gaze shall be blasted with the sight of the mangled carcase of his first born.  Ha! ha! ha!” and he laughed low and exultingly; “even now I think I see him withering, if heart so hard can wither, beneath this proof of my undying hate.”

“Fiend!—­monster!—­devil!” exclaimed the excited officer, now losing sight of all considerations of prudence in the deep horror inspired by his captor:—­“Kill me—­torture me—­commit any cruelty on me, if such be your savage will; but outrage not humanity by the fulfilment of your last disgusting threat.  Suffer not a father’s heart to be agonised—­a father’s eye to be blasted—­with a view of the mangled remains of him to whom he has given life.”

Again the savage rudely pulled the thong that bound his prisoner to his girdle, and removing his tomahawk from his belt, and holding its sullied point close under the eye of the former, exclaimed, as he bent eagerly over him,—­

“See you this, Captain de Haldimar?  At the still hour of midnight, while you had abandoned your guard to revel in the arms of your Indian beauty, I stole into the fort by means of the same rope that you had used in quitting it.  Unseen by the sentinels I gained your father’s apartment.  It was the first time we had met for twenty years; and I do believe that had the very devil presented himself in my place, he would have been received with fewer marks of horror.  Oh, how that proud man’s eye twinkled beneath this glittering blade!  He attempted to call out, but my look paralysed his tongue, and cold drops of sweat stole rapidly down his brow and cheek.  Then it was that my seared heart once more beat with the intoxication of triumph.  Your father was alone and unarmed, and throughout the fort not a sound was to be heard, save the distant tread of the sentinels.  I could have laid him dead, at my feet at a single blow, and yet have secured my retreat.  But no, that was not my object.  I came to taunt him with the promise of my revenge—­to tell him the hour of my triumph was approaching fast; and, ha!” he concluded, laughing hideously as he passed his large rude hand through the wavy hair of the now uncovered officer,” this is, indeed, a fair and unexpected first earnest of the full redemption of my pledge.  No—­no!” he continued, as if talking to himself, “he must not die.  Tantulus-like, he shall have death ever apparently within his grasp; but, until all his race have perished before his eyes, he shall not attain it.”