lities of a rattlesnake.

Abruptly it came--the strike, so venomous that it stung my face and
scalded my eyes with the spatter of sandstone and hot lead; at the moment
her Colt's bellowed into my ears, thunderous because even unexpected. I
could not see; I only heard an utterance that was cheer and sob in one.

"I got him! Are you hurt? Are you hurt?"

"No. Hurrah!"

"Hurrah, dear."

The air rocked with the shouts of the Sioux; shouts never before so
welcome in their tidings, for they were shouts of rage and disappointment.
They flooded my eyes with vigor, wiped away the daze of the bullet impact;
the hollow leaped to the fore--upon its low parapet a dull shade where no
shade should naturally be, and garnished with crimson.

He had doubled forward, reflexing to the blow. He was dead, stone dead;
his crafty spirit issued upon the red trail of ball through his brain.

"Thank God," I rejoiced.

She had sunk back wearily.

"That is the last."

"Won't they try again, you think?"

"The last spare shot, I mean. We have only our two left. We must save
those." She gravely surveyed me.

"Yes, we must save those," I assented. The realization broke unbelievable
across a momentary hiatus; brought me down from the false heights, to face
it with her.

A dizzy space had opened before me. I knew that she moved aside. She
exclaimed.

"Look!"

It was the canteen, drained dry by a jagged gash from the sharpshooter's
lead.

"No matter, dear," she said.

"No matter," said I.

The subject was not worth pursuing.

"We have discouraged their game, again. And in case they rush us----"

This from her.

"In case they rush us----" I repeated. "We can wait a little, and see."

CHAPTER XXI

WE WAIT THE SUMMONS

The Sioux had quieted. They let the hollow alone, tenanted as it was with
death; there was for us a satisfaction in that tribute to our defense.
Quite methodically, and with cruel show of leisure they distributed
themselves by knots, in a half-encircling string around our asylum; they
posted a sentry, ahorse, as a lookout; and lolling upon the bare ground in
the sun glare they chatted, laughed, rested, but never for an instant were
we dismissed from their eyes and thoughts.

"They will wait, too. They can afford it," she murmured. "It is cheaper
for them than losing lives."

"If they knew we had only the two cartridges----?"

"They don't, yet."

"And they will find out too late," I hazarded.

"Y