piled, forming a rude hut.

Taking Nellie inside of this shelter, Yellow Elk deposited her on the
ground. Of the cord which bound her hands there were several feet left,
and this end he wound around a tree and tied fast.

"Now white girl no run away," he grinned. "Stay here now until Yellow
Elk ready to let her go."

To this she made no answer, for what would be the use of talking to
such a fierce creature? She looked at his hideously painted face and
shivered.

Yellow Elk now went off, to be gone a long while. When he came back he
found her so tired she could scarcely stand beside the tree. She had
tried to free herself from her bonds but failed, and a tiny stream of
blood was running from one of her tender wrists.

"Yellow Elk got horse now," said the redskin. "We ride now--go many
miles."

"Where to?" she faltered.

"Never mind where--white girl come on."

Yellow Elk's manner was so fierce she was frightened more than ever. The
Indian had stolen a horse and he had also stolen a lot of "fire-water,"
and this drink was beginning to make him ugly. He drew out his hunting
knife.

"White girl got to become Yellow Elk's squaw!" he cried, brandishing the
knife before her face. "No marry Yellow Elk me cut out her heart wid
dis!"

At this Nellie gave a shriek and it was this which was borne to the ears
of Pawnee Brown.

"Crying do white girl no good," growled the redskin. "Come with me."

"I will not go another foot," and Nellie began to struggle. The Indian
chief upbraided her roundly in his own language and ended by raising his
knife over her once more.

"Help!" cried Nellie, and a moment later Pawnee Brown burst into view. A
glance showed him the true situation, and without hesitation he fired at
Yellow Elk.

His bullet clipped across the redskin's chest. By this time Yellow Elk
had his own pistol out, and standing erect he aimed straight for the
boomer's heart.

Nellie screamed, and knowing nothing else to do, gave the Indian a
vigorous shove in the side, which destroyed the aim and made the bullet
fly wide of the mark.

In a second more the two men were at it in a hand-to-hand encounter each
trying his best to get at the other with his hunting knife, being too
close together to use a pistol. As Pawnee Brown afterward said:

"It was Yellow Elk's life or mine, and I made up my mind that it should
not be mine--I considered myself worth a good deal more than that
worthless redskin."

A cut and a s