the
ponies' heads toward the two.

Alfred arose deliberately for a better look.

"Yes, that's right," he said to himself, "that's old Lone Pine, sure
thing. I reckon we-all's got to make a _good_ fight!"

The girl had sunk to the ground, and was shaking from head to foot. It
is not nice to be shot at in the best of circumstances, but to be shot
at by odds of thirty to one, and the thirty of an out-landish and
terrifying species, is not nice at all. Miss Caldwell had gone to pieces
badly, and Alfred looked grave. He thoughtfully drew from its holster
his beautiful Colt's with its ivory handle, and laid it on the grass.
Then he blushed hot and cold, and looked at the girl doubtfully. A
sudden movement in the group of savages, as the war-chief rode to the
front, decided him.

"Miss Caldwell," he said.

The girl shivered and moaned.

Alfred dropped to his knees and shook her shoulder roughly.

"Look up here," he commanded. "We ain't got but a minute."

Composed a little by the firmness of his tone, she sat up. Her face had
gone chalky, and her hair had partly fallen over her eyes.

"Now, listen to every word," he said, rapidly. "Those Injins is goin' to
rush us in a minute. P'r'aps I can break them, but I don't know. In that
pistol there, I'll always save two shots--understand?--it's always
loaded. If I see it's all up, I'm a-goin' to shoot you with one of 'em,
and myself with the other."

"Oh!" cried the girl, her eyes opening wildly. She was paying close
enough attention now.

"And if they kill me first"--he reached forward and seized her wrist
impressively--"if they kill me first, you must take that pistol and
shoot yourself. Understand? Shoot yourself--in the head--here!"

He tapped his forehead with a stubby forefinger.

The girl shrank back in horror. Alfred snapped his teeth together and
went on grimly.

"If they get hold of you," he said, with solemnity, "they'll first take
off every stitch of your clothes, and when you're quite naked they'll
stretch you out on the ground with a raw-hide to each of your arms and
legs. And then they'll drive a stake through the middle of your body
into the ground--and leave you there--to die--slowly!"

And the girl believed him, because, incongruously enough, even through
her terror she noticed that at this, the most immodest speech of his
life, Alfred did not blush. She looked at the pistol lying on the turf
with horrified fascination.

The group of Indians, wh