bright blaze of the fire shining through the
gaps of the hovel, so as to illuminate every feature; and Roland, as he
strove in vain to clutch at the uplifted arm so as to avert the
threatened blow, could distinguish every motion of the weapon, and every
change of his foeman's visage. But he did not even then despair, for he
was, in all circumstances affecting only himself, a man of true
intrepidity; and it was only when, on a sudden, the light wholly vanished
from the cabin, as if the brands had been scattered and trodden out, that
he began to anticipate a fatal result from the advantage possessed by his
opponent. But at that very instant, and while, blinded by the sudden
darkness, he was expecting the blow which he no longer knew how to avoid,
the laugh of the warrior, now louder and more exultant than before, was
suddenly changed to a yell of agony. A jet of warm blood, at the same
moment, gushed over Roland's right arm; and the savage, struck by an
unknown hand, or by a random ball, fell a dead man at his feet,
overwhelming the soldier in his fall.

"Up, and do according to thee conscience!" cried Nathan Slaughter; whose
friendly arm, more nervous than that of his late foe, at this conjuncture
jerked Roland from beneath the body: "for, truly, thee fights like unto a
young lion, or an old bear; and, truly, I will not censure thee, if thee
kills a whole dozen of the wicked cut-throats! Here is thee gun and thee
pistols: fire and shout aloud with thee voice; for, of a verity, thee
enemies is confounded by thee resolution: do thee make them believe thee
has been reinforced by numbers."

And with that the peaceful Nathan, uplifting his voice, and springing
among the ruins from log to log, began to utter a series of shouts, all
designed to appear as if coming from different throats, and all
expressing such manly courage and defiance, that even Pardon Dodge, who
yet lay ensconced among the rocks of the ravine, and Emperor, the negro,
who, it seems, had taken post behind the ruins at the door, felt their
spirits wax resolute and valiant, and added their voices to the din, the
one roaring, "Come on, ye 'tarnal critturs, if you _must_ come!" while
the other bellowed, with equal spirit, "Don't care for niggah Injun no
way--will fight and die for massa and missie!"

All these several details, from the moment of the appearance of the
warrior at the door until the loud shouts of the besieged travellers took
the place of the sava