rrible work and see that it is well done, if you insist
upon the worst."

Major Hay, who was Hamilton's Indian agent, now, with some difficulty
clearing his throat, spoke up.

"Pray, sir," said he, "who is it that you call Indian partisans?"

"Sir," replied Clark, seeing that his words had gone solidly home, "I
take Major Hay to be one of the principals."

This seemed to strike Hay with deadly force. Clark's report says that
he was "pale and trembling, scarcely able to stand," and that "Hamilton
blushed, and, I observed, was much affected at his behavior.
"Doubtless, if the doughty American commander had known more about the
Governor's feelings just then, he would have added that an awful fear,
even greater than the Indian agent's, did more than anything else to
congest the veins in his face."

The parties separated without reaching an agreement; but the end had
come. The terror in Hamilton's soul was doubled by a wild scene enacted
under the walls of his fort; a scene which, having no proper place in
this story, strong as its historical interest unquestionably is, must
be but outlined. A party of Indians returning from a scalping
expedition in Kentucky and along the Ohio, was captured on the
outskirts of the town by some of Clark's men, who proceeded to kill and
scalp them within full view of the beleaguered garrison, after which
their mangled bodies were flung into the river.

If the British commander needed further wine of dread to fill his cup
withal, it was furnished by ostentatious marshaling of the American
forces for a general assault. His spirit broke completely, so that it
looked like a godsend to him when Clark finally offered terms of
honorable surrender, the consummation of which was to be postponed
until the following morning. He accepted promptly, appending to the
articles of capitulation the following reasons for his action: "The
remoteness from succor; the state and quantity of provisions, etc.;
unanimity of officers and men in its expediency; the honorable terms
allowed; and, lastly, the confidence in a generous enemy."

Confidence in a generous enemy! Abject fear of the vengeance just
wreaked upon his savage emissaries would have been the true statement.
Beverley read the paper when Clark sent for him; but he could not join
in the extravagant delight of his fellow officers and their brave men.
What did all this victory mean to him? Hamilton to be treated as an
honorable prisoner of war, permit