IN THE OLD WEST 337 



sounded at his very ear ; and, looking up, he saw 

 La Bonte galloping madly down the bluff, his long 

 hair and the fringes of his hunting-shirt and leg- 

 gings flying in the wind, his right arm supporting 

 his trusty rifle, whilst close behind him came Kill- 

 buck and the stranger. Dashing with loud hur- 

 rahs to the scene of action, La Bonte, as he charged 

 down the bluff, caught sight of the girl struggling 

 in the hands of the ferocious Indian. Loud was 

 the war-shout of the mountaineer, as he struck 

 his heavy spurs to the rowels in his horse's side, 

 and bounded like lightning to the rescue. In a 

 single stride he was upon the Indian, and thrusting 

 the muzzle of his rifle into his very breast, he pulled 

 the trigger, driving the savage backward by the 

 blow itself, at the same moment that the bullet 

 passed through his heart and tumbled him over 

 stone-dead. Throwing down his rifle, La Bonte 

 wheeled his obedient horse, and, drawing a pistol 

 from his belt, again charged the enemy, among 

 whom Killbuck and the stranger were dealing 

 death-giving blows. Yelling for victory, the 

 mountaineers rushed at the Indians ; and they, 

 panic-stricken at the sudden attack, and thinking 

 this was but the advanced-guard of a large band, 

 fairly turned and fled, leaving five of their number 

 dead upon the field. 



Mary, shutting her eyes to the expected death- 

 stroke, heard the loud shout La Bonte gave in 

 charging down the bluff, and, again looking up, 



