"If you have neither wife nor child, thank God that you stand alone. If you have, load your muskets and strike them down at sunrise to-morrow,--yes, stain your hands with their innocent blood that you may save them from something worse. Twelve hours of life remains--waste none of it in sleep! Fill your glasses to the brim and drink till the night is past. Pray that your senses may leave you--that your reason may be replaced by the madness of beasts! Pray for strong arms to-morrow--pray for a soldier's fate! Drink while the stakes are being put in place for us--drink to your ashes and the fall of Fort Dearborn--drink, boys--to Death!"
The room had been deadly still while he was speaking, but now the cry rang to the rafters,--"To Death!"
"Again," shouted Ronald, "fill your glasses once more! To the strong arm and the fearless heart--to the torture that waits for us to-morrow--to the red spawn of hell that is grinning at our gates--a toast to Death!"
The door opened and Captain Franklin came into the room. Every man turned accusing eyes upon him save one. "To the Captain!" cried Wells, lifting his glass.
He drank alone, since, for the moment, no one else moved. Then, with one accord, the wine was thrown to the floor and the sharp crash of glass followed it, as the deep-throated bell sounded taps--for the last time.
To the music of the Dead March the column swung into line and turned southward from the Fort. At the head rode Captain Wells, who, after an Indian custom, had blackened his face with wet gunpowder in token of approaching death. Half of the Miami escort followed him, then came the regulars, accompanied by the women, all of whom were mounted; then the three waggons, and the remainder of the Miami escort.
Mrs. Mackenzie and her four children were in the bateau, with their clothing and a limited amount of supplies. Chandonnais and a friendly Indian were at the oars. Black Partridge had appeared at the trading station before daylight, to ask Mackenzie and his family to go in the boat. The trader refused, saying he would march with the soldiers; and Robert also declined the opportunity. Both Mackenzie and his wife insisted that Beatrice should take the safer course, but it was useless.