ue
sky the magnificent animal stood for one brief instant, his black
mane flying in the wind, his head thrown up and his front hoofs
pawing the air like Marcus Curtius' mailed steed of old, and then
down with a crash, a cloud of dust, and the crackling of pine limbs.
A long yell went up from the Indians below, while those above ran to
the edge of the cliff. With cries of wonder and baffled vengeance
they gesticulated toward the dark ravine into which horse and rider
had plunged rather than wait to meet a more cruel death. The
precipice at this point is over three hundred feet in height, and in
places is almost perpendicular. We believed the Major to be lying
crushed and mangled on the rocks. Imagine our frenzy of joy when we
saw the daring soldier and his horse dash out of the bushes that
skirt the base of the cliff, cross the creek, and come galloping to
the fort in safety."

"It was wonderful! Wonderful!" exclaimed Isaac, his eyes glistening.
"No wonder the Indians call you the 'Flying Chief.'"

"Had the Major not jumped into the clump of pine trees which grow
thickly some thirty feet below the summit he would not now be
alive," said Colonel Zane. "I am certain of that. Nevertheless that
does not detract from the courage of his deed. He had no time to
pick out the best place to jump. He simply took his one chance, and
came out all right. That leap will live in the minds of men as long
as yonder bluff stands a monument to McColloch's ride for life."

Alfred had listened with intense interest to the Colonel's recital.
When it ended, although his pulses quickened and his soul expanded
with awe and reverence for the hero of that ride, he sat silent.
Alfred honored courage in a man more than any other quality. He
marvelled at the simplicity of these bordermen who, he thought, took
the most wonderful adventures and daring escapes as a matter of
course, a compulsory part of their daily lives. He had already, in
one day, had more excitement than had ever befallen him, and was
beginning to believe his thirst for a free life of stirring action
would be quenched long before he had learned to become useful in his
new sphere. During the remaining half hour of his call on his lately
acquired friends, he took little part in the conversation, but sat
quietly watching the changeful expressions on Betty's face, and
listening to Colonel Zane's jokes. When he rose to go he bade his
host good-night, and expressed a wish that Isaac, wh