The Last of the Plainsmen 



time to swing his leg over the saddle when the hoofs 

 beat down. Kentuck rolled on the plain, flinging his 

 rider from him. The infuriated buffalo lowered her 

 head for the fatal charge on the horse, when the 

 plainsman, jerking out his heavy Colts, shot her dead 

 in her tracks. 



Kentuck got to his feet unhurt, and stood his 

 ground, quivering but ready, showing his steadfast 

 courage. He showed more, for his ears lay back, 

 and his eyes had the gleam of the animal that strikes 

 back. 



The calf ran round its mother. Jones lassoed it, 

 and tied it down, being compelled to cut a piece from 

 his lasso, as the cords on the saddle had given out. 

 He left his other boot with baby number five. The 

 still heaving, smoking body of the victim called forth 

 the stern, intrepid hunter s pity for a moment. Spill 

 of blood he had not wanted. But he had not been 

 able to avoid it; and mounting again with close-shut 

 jaw and smoldering eye, he galloped to the north. 



Kentuck snorted; the pursuing wolves shied off in 

 the grass ; the pale sun began to slant westward. The 

 cold iron stirrups froze and cut the hunter s bootless 

 feet. 



When once more he came hounding the buffalo, 

 they were considerably winded. Short-tufted tails, 

 raised stiffly, gave warning. Snorts, like puffs of 



68 



