White Bear slid the point under the bandanna around Wegner's neck and pressed it into the soft place just above the collarbone. The man's eyes seemed about to pop out of his head. His thick, dark mustache was drawn back from his clenched teeth.
Trying to make himself kill the man, White Bear felt as sick in his stomach as he had when he was waiting for Raoul's bullet.
And he remembered again, the night after Raoul had driven him out of Victoire and offered fifty pieces of eight for his death, what he had heard Otto Wegner say.
He did not push the knife any farther. But he realized that Wegner would still kill him, given any chance. He held himself ready to strike.
"Drop your rifle," he whispered. "Slide it away from you. Make a sudden move and I'll cut your throat."
Wegner did as White Bear told him.
He said, "You are keeping me alive to torture me."
If he brought Wegner back to the Sauk, White Bear thought, the warriors would want to kill him slowly. Again he felt that hot shame.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
"You are Raoul de Marion's nephew, Auguste. How can you be still alive? I saw Greenglove shoot you."