Silk shook his head and emptied his hat upon the mare's face.
"Do you think you deserve so much pity?" he asked. "If I took them off you'd only try to escape."
Pierre Roche drew back his hands and awkwardly moved his body as if he meant to slip to the ground.
Silk stopped him.
"Stay where you are," he ordered sternly. "What are you up to?"
"I go no more," returned the half-breed. "I was coward. I no deserve any pity. It ees true. Listen, Sergeant. You was de mos' brave man I ever know. It ees not good you reesk you good life for me any longer. You leave me. You go on alone. I remain. I die. I gif myself to de flame. It ees bes' you go alone, see?"
Sergeant Silk recognised that the man was sincere in his curious entreaty to be left to his fate.
But he shook his head gravely.
"No," he responded. "I must do my duty. I cannot go without my prisoner, and, though you were the worst sinner that ever breathed, I could not bring myself to abandon you to that!"