LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 35 



head of an Indian who was pulling his second arrow to 

 its head at a yard's distance, drew his knife at the same 

 moment, and made at him. 



But the Indian broke and ran, followed by his sur- 

 viving companion ; and as soon as Killbuck could ram 

 home another ball, he sent a shot flying after them as 

 they scrambled up the mountain-side, leaving in their 

 fright and hurry their bows and shields on the ground. 



The fight was over, and the two trappers confronted 

 each other : " We've given 'em h ! " laughed Kill- 

 buck. 



" Well y we have," answered the other, pulling an 

 arrow out of his arm. " Wagh ! " 



"We'll lift the hair, anyhow," continued the first, 

 " afore the scalp's cold." 



Taking his whetstone from the little sheath on his 

 knife-belt, the trapper proceeded to " edge " his knife, 

 and then stepping to the first prostrate body, he turned 

 it over to examine if any symptom of vitality remained. 

 " Thrown cold ! '* he exclaimed, as he dropped the life- 

 less arm he had lifted. " I sighted him about the long 

 ribs, but the light was bad, and I couldn't get a c bead ' 

 ' off hand ' anyhow." 



Seizing with his left hand the long and braided lock 

 on the centre of the Indian's head, he passed the point 

 edge of his keen butcher-knife round the parting, turn- 

 ing it at the same time under the skin to separate the 

 scalp from the skull ; then, with a quick and sudden 

 jerk of his hand, he removed it entirely from the head, 

 and giving the reeking trophy a wring upon the grass 



