The villains triced us firmly with thongs of skin, and sat us up against the bank like so many puppets, dancing about before us, snapping their dirty fingers in our faces, and treating us to all manner of taunts and insults.

'T was done so quickly as to seem a dream, had I not smarted so sorely from the blows dealt me, and my limbs chafed where the tight cords were drawn.
I recall glancing aside at Burns; but his seamed and puckered face remained emotionless, as the red devils rolled him over till he stared straight up at the sky, now gray with coming dawn.

The sight of De Croix almost set me laughing, which won for me a kick from the brute who had me in special charge.

The Frenchman was surely no court dandy now; his fancy clothing clung to him in rags, while the powder-flash within the cellar had blackened his face and made sad havoc with his gay mustache.

He endeavored to smile at me as our eyes met, but the effort produced only what seemed like a demoniac grin.
"'T is a hard life, Monsieur," I could not forbear remarking, "and will hardly remind you of Versailles." His form stiffened in its bonds, as if the words spurred his memory of other days.
"A French soldier smiles at fate, wherever it overtakes him," he answered, a touch of pride in his voice.