The Last of the Plainsmen 



sound turned him again, with the Colts leveled. 

 Bang ! Dust flew from the ground beyond the bison. 



The two charges left in the gun were all that 

 stood between him and eternity. With a desperate 

 display of strength Jones threw his weight in a back 

 ward pull, and hauled Kentuck up. Then he leaned 

 far back in the saddle, and shoved the Colts out 

 beyond the horse s flank. Down went the broad 

 head, with its black, glistening horns. Bang! She 

 slid forward with a crash, plowing the ground with 

 hoofs and nose spouted blood, uttered a hoarse cry, 

 kicked and died. 



Kentuck, for once completely terrorized, reared 

 and plunged from the cow, dragging the calf. Stern 

 command and iron arm forced him to a standstill. 

 The calf, nearly strangled, recovered when the noose 

 was slipped, and moaned a feeble protest against life 

 and captivity. The remainder of Jones s lasso went 

 to bind number six, and one of his socks went to 

 serve as reminder to the persistent wolves. 



&quot;Six! On! On! Kentuck! On!&quot; Weaken 

 ing, but unconscious of it, with bloody hands and 

 feet, without lasso, and with only one charge in his 

 revolver, hatless, coatless, vestless, bootless, the wild 

 hunter urged on the noble horse. The herd had 

 gained miles in the interval of the fight. Game to 



the backbone, Kentuck lengthened out to overhaul 



70 



