hundred yards or more, they wheeled
suddenly and trotted back, once more letting fly the lasso. This time
all but one were roped; as they kicked in fury, their hind legs were
caught by the lariats held in reserve; and there followed a scene of
plunging and springing, galloping, shouting, growling; and neighing,
for the mustangs were fully alive to their part.

The one bear at liberty rode straight for Roldan.

He had hurled his lasso with the rest, and it was trailing. He jerked
about and fled for a mile or more, holding on with his legs while both
hands were occupied gathering in the rope and coiling it about the high
pommel of his saddle. Then he turned and charged full at the bear, who
was hot in pursuit and no mean runner. He hurled the lariat. It fell
short, and lay quivering on the ground like a huge wounded snake.
Roldan gave an exclamation, of surprise as much as of dismay: he was an
expert with the rope. He turned, however, dragging it in. It caught
about the mustang's hind legs. The beast went down, neighing with
horror. Roldan tried to jerk him to his feet. He seemed hopelessly
entangled. Roldan extricated himself, knowing that he was comparatively
safe, as bears prefer horse-meat to man's. He had no sooner got his
feet free of the boots than the mustang leaped to his feet and fled
like a hare, dragging the lariat in a straight line after him.

Roldan was alone, the bear not ten yards away. The rest of his party
were a mile and more behind. No one apparently had noticed his flight
with the solitary bear. The light was uncertain and the excitement over
there intense.

Roldan took to his agile young heels. But the bear gathered himself and
leaped, not once but several times. There was no doubt that his blood
was up, and that he meant a duel to the death. Roldan turned with a
catching of what breath was left in him. He mechanically drew his knife
from its pocket and flourished it at the advancing bear. Bruin cared as
little for steel as for rope. He came on with a mighty growl.

Roldan gave one rapid glance about. There was not even a tree in sight.
From his point of departure an object seemed approaching, but it was
too dark to tell as yet whether it was a horseman or another bear. The
brute was almost on him, panting mightily. All the senses between
Roldan's skeleton and his skin concentrated in the determination to
live. He sprang forward and plunged his long knife into the protruding
injected eye of the