204 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



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, saw the wild -looking 

 mountaineer rush to her rescue, and save her from the 

 savage by his timely blow. Her arms were still pinned 

 by the lasso, which prevented her from rising to her feet ; 

 and La Bonte was the first to run to aid her, as soon as 

 the fight was fairly over. He jumped from his horse, 

 cut the skin-rope which bound her, raised her from the 

 ground, and, upon her turning up her face to thank him, 

 beheld his never-to-be-forgotten Mary Brand ; whilst she, 

 hardly believing her senses, recognised in her deliverer 

 her former lover, and still well-beloved La Bonte. 



" What, Mary ! can it be you ? " he asked, looking in- 

 tently upon the trembling woman. 



" La Bonte, you don't forget me ! " she answered, and 

 threw herself sobbing into the arms of the sturdy moun- 

 taineer. 



There we will leave her for the present, and help 

 Killbuck and his companions to examine the killed and 

 wounded. Of the former, five Indians and two whites 

 lay dead, grandchildren of old Brand, fine lads of fourteen 

 or fifteen, who had fought with the greatest bravery, and 

 lay pierced with arrows and lance -wounds. Old Brand 

 had received a sore buffet, but a hatful of cold water from 

 the creek sprinkled over his face soon restored him. His 

 sons had not escaped scot-free, and Antoine was shot 

 through the neck, and, falling, had actually been half- 

 scalped by an Indian, whom the timely arrival of La 

 Bonte had caused to leave his work unfinished. 



Silently, and with sad hearts, the survivors of the 

 family saw the bodies of the two boys buried on the 

 river- bank, and the spot marked with a pile of loose 

 stones, procured from the rocky bed of the creek. The. 

 carcasses of the treacherous Indians were left to be de- 

 voured by wolves, and their bones to bleach in the sun 

 and wind a warning to their tribe, that such foul treach- 



