uscles appeared to wither under the shock, as
he sank from the arms of Duncan, flexible and motionless.

When Uncas had brained his first antagonist, he turned, like a hungry
lion, to seek another. The fifth and only Huron disengaged at the first
onset had paused a moment, and then seeing that all around him were
employed in the deadly strife, he sought, with hellish vengeance, to
complete the baffled work of revenge. Raising a shout of triumph, he
sprang towards the defenceless Cora, sending his keen axe, as the
dreadful precursor of his approach. The tomahawk grazed her shoulder,
and cutting the withes which bound her to the tree, left the maiden at
liberty to fly. She eluded the grasp of the savage, and reckless of her
own safety, threw herself on the bosom of Alice, striving with
convulsed and ill-directed fingers, to tear asunder the twigs which
confined the person of her sister. Any other than a monster would have
relented at such an act of generous devotion to the best and purest
affection; but the breast of the Huron was a stranger to sympathy.
Seizing Cora by the rich tresses which fell in confusion about her form,
he tore her from her frantic hold, and bowed her down with brutal
violence to her knees. The savage drew the flowing curls through his
hand, and raising them on high with an outstretched arm, he passed the
knife around the exquisitely moulded head of his victim, with a taunting
and exulting laugh. But he purchased this moment of fierce gratification
with the loss of the fatal opportunity. It was just then the sight
caught the eye of Uncas. Bounding from his footsteps he appeared for an
instant darting through the air, and descending in a ball he fell on the
chest of his enemy, driving him many yards from the spot, headlong and
prostrate. The violence of the exertion cast the young Mohican at his
side. They arose together, fought, and bled, each in his turn. But the
conflict was soon decided; the tomahawk of Heyward and the rifle of
Hawkeye descended on the skull of the Huron, at the same moment that the
knife of Uncas reached his heart.

The battle was now entirely terminated, with the exception of the
protracted struggle between Le Renard Subtil and Le Gros Serpent. Well
did these barbarous warriors prove that they deserved those significant
names which had been bestowed for deeds in former wars. When they
engaged, some little time was lost in eluding the quick and vigorous
thrusts which had been a