"Move him!"
A pistol was pushed behind his ear.
"Do y' hear?"
"Mercy—mercy!" cried the distraught man. But he made no move.
There was an instant's pause. Then the loud report of the threatening pistol rang out. It had been fired through the lobe of his ear.
"Oh, God!"
The exclamation was forced from Jacky. The torture—the horror nearly drove her wild. She lifted her reins as though to ride to the villain's aid. Then something—some cruel recollection—stayed her. She remembered her uncle and her heart hardened.
The merciless torture of the Breed was allowed to pass.
To the wretched victim it seemed that his ear-drum must be split for the shot had left him almost stone deaf. The blood trickled from the wound. He almost leapt forward. Then he stood all of a tremble as he felt the ground shake beneath him. A cold sweat poured down his great face.
"Choose!" Baptiste followed the terror-stricken man up.