cold iron stirrups froze and cut the
hunter's bootless feet.

When once more he came hounding the buffalo, they were considerably
winded. Short-tufted tails, raised stiffly, gave warning. Snorts, like
puffs of escaping steam, and deep grunts from cavernous chests evinced
anger and impatience that might, at any moment, bring the herd to a
defiant stand.

He whizzed the shortened noose over the head of a calf that was
laboring painfully to keep up, and had slipped down, when a mighty
grunt told him of peril. Never looking to see whence it came, he sprang
into the saddle. Fiery Kentuck jumped into action, then hauled up with
a shock that almost threw himself and rider. The lasso, fast to the
horse, and its loop end round the calf, had caused the sudden check.

A maddened cow bore down on Kentuck. The gallant horse straightened in
a jump, but dragging the calf pulled him in a circle, and in another
moment he was running round and round the howling, kicking pivot. Then
ensued a terrible race, with horse and bison describing a twenty-foot
circle. Bang! Bang! The hunter fired two shots, and heard the spats of
the bullets. But they only augmented the frenzy of the beast. Faster
Kentuck flew, snorting in terror; closer drew the dusty, bouncing
pursuer; the calf spun like a top; the lasso strung tighter than wire.
Jones strained to loosen the fastening, but in vain. He swore at his
carelessness in dropping his knife by the last calf he had tied. He
thought of shooting the rope, yet dared not risk the shot. A hollow
sound turned him again, with the Colts leveled. Bang! Dust flew from
the ground beyond the bison.

The two charges left in the gun were all that stood between him and
eternity. With a desperate display of strength Jones threw his weight
in a backward pull, and hauled Kentuck up. Then he leaned far back in
the saddle, and shoved the Colts out beyond the horse's flank. Down
went the broad head, with its black, glistening horns. Bang! She slid
forward with a crash, plowing the ground with hoofs and nose--spouted
blood, uttered a hoarse cry, kicked and died.

Kentuck, for once completely terrorized, reared and plunged from the
cow, dragging the calf. Stern command and iron arm forced him to a
standstill. The calf, nearly strangled, recovered when the noose was
slipped, and moaned a feeble protest against life and captivity. The
remainder of Jones's lasso went to bind number six, and one of his
socks went to serve as