he stem of
his pipe upon the floor; "but I must get those guns for you."

"Don't think of it," she persisted, laying her hand on his shoulder;
"you will surely be shot, and there's no need of them yet."

"You may as well begin at once; you haven't had any practice for
months."

Gently removing the hand of his wife, whom he loved as he did his life,
the captain, holding his own gun in hand, began moving stealthily across
the floor toward the fireplace. Had he been on his feet, he must have
been observed by anyone in the position of the savage that had fired
the shot which was so well-nigh fatal, but, while so close to the floor,
he would not be seen by any Comanche unless he was quite close to the
window.

The redskin might and might not be there: _that_ risk must be taken, or
the guns would have to be left alone for the time.

Mrs. Shirril was more disturbed than ever, for she knew as well as did
her husband the risk he ran, but she knew, too, that, when he once
decided to do a thing, it was idle to seek to restrain him.

The burning wood threw an illumination through the room which rendered
any other light unnecessary, and the captain could not have been in
clearer view had the midday sun been shining. Nevertheless he crept
slowly forward, until in front of the fireplace. Then he paused to
consider which of two methods he had in mind was the better for
obtaining the weapons.

The Comanches were still circling back and forth on the outside,
uttering their whoops and firing their guns at intervals, though the
latter consisted of blind shooting, and was meant to terrify the
defenders, since none of the bullets found its way through either of the
windows.

Captain Shirril took but a few seconds to decide upon his course of
action.

CHAPTER III.

JUST IN TIME.

Bending as closely to the floor of the cabin as he could, the Texan
advanced until directly in front of the crackling fire, when he reached
up with his Winchester, which was grasped near the muzzle. By this means
he placed the stock directly beneath the two weapons resting on the deer
antlers.

With a deftness that would hardly have been expected, he raised both
guns until their stocks were lifted clear off their support, when he
began gently lowering them, so as to bring them within his reach. He
might have flirted them free by a single quick movement and let them
fall upon the floor; but he wished to avoid this, since he ran the risk
of in