sed him to swerve gradually to the left,
though he kept such careful note of the change that there was no danger
of his going astray as before.

None of the pursuers, from the moment of starting, gave vent to
any outcry, as they are generally supposed to do under similar
circumstances. Such a proceeding would have been as great a draught
upon his strength as outright laughter, and the American Indian is too
wise not to husband every resource.

It required little cessation of effort to permit the Comanche to come up
with him at an alarming rate. A few minutes would have allowed the
pursuer to overhaul the fugitive.

Only a few minutes had passed since the furious start, and Avon felt
that the time had come to consider himself as dealing only with this
single redskin. Still bearing to the left he put forth all his energies,
resolved to run away from him, if the achievement was within the range
of possibility.

It was not. Try as desperately as he might, the Comanche could not be
shaken off.

An encounter being inevitable, Avon had to decide upon the manner in
which it should take place.

Inasmuch as the warrior must have felt certain of coming up with him, he
was not likely to appeal to his rifle, or that would have been his first
act when the contest opened. He would continue to run until near enough
either to seize the youth or to use his weapon against him.

Avon concluded that the only course which offered hope was to allow the
warrior to approach slightly closer, and then to wheel and let him have
several chambers from his Winchester.

He would have to act quickly, but he had already proven himself capable
of that, and it might be that the Comanche would be looking for
something of the kind, and was supple enough to secure the drop on him.
His people were accustomed to border warfare and had graduated in all
the subtlety of the fearful business.

Young Burnet had fixed his course of action in his mind when, to his
consternation, he heard the sounds of approaching hoofs over the
prairie!

CHAPTER XIV.

THE FRIEND IN NEED.

If horsemen were thundering toward the spot, the fugitive was doomed.

But, though seized with despair, he did not yield. On the contrary, he
was nerved to such desperation that he put forth a tremendous effort,
which quickly increased the space between him and the pursuer.

But instead of heading away from the coming animals, he turned directly
toward them, at the same as