It was not the intention of the Hurons absolutely to destroy the
life of their victim by means of fire. They designed merely to
put his physical fortitude to the severest proofs it could endure,
short of that extremity. In the end, they fully intended to carry
his scalp with them into their village, but it was their wish
first to break down his resolution, and to reduce him to the level
of a complaining sufferer. With this view, the pile of brush and
branches had been placed at a proper distance, or, one at which
it was thought the heat would soon become intolerable, though it
might not be immediately dangerous. As often happened, however,
on these occasions, this distance had been miscalculated, and the
flames began to wave their forked tongues in a proximity to the face
of the victim, that would have proved fatal, in another instant,
had not Hetty rushed through the crowd, armed with a stick, and
scattered the blazing pile in a dozen directions. More than one
hand was raised to strike this presumptuous intruder to the earth,
but the chiefs prevented the blows, by reminding their irritated
followers of the state of her mind. Hetty, herself, was insensible
to the risk she ran, but, as soon as she had performed this bold
act, she stood looking about her, in frowning resentment, as if to
rebuke the crowd of attentive savages for their cruelty.
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