d was split like a walnut.

The old warrior looked gratified. "Mamma," he said, touching his
hunting-knife, "you take that fellow's scalp."

"Don't think of such a thing," I said, not so much shocked as I might have
been had I not lived on the Indian frontier. "Do you know who they are?"

"See them to Ryan's. Guess they some folks that mizzable railroad bring
into this country. 'Spect they follow me. Mamma," said the Panther,
looking up into my face, "tell you, red fox not bark for nothing. Better
be old man than you."

"Oh, my dear old friend, if you had only not come to us to-night! It was
all your love for us that has done this, but I pray God you may get well.
Charley, do you think you can go for Doctor Beach?"

"Yes, mamma," said the boy, though he turned pale.

"No, no," said the Panther. "You no send that little fellow out in the
dark. Besides, no good. You go wrap yourselves up. You two, you git bad
cold."

At that moment we heard the sound of wheels and horses' feet.

"Go, Charley," said Minny. "Stop whoever it is, and tell them what has
happened."

Charley ran out, and soon returned with Dr. Beach, who, happily for us,
had been out on one of those errands which are always rousing doctors from
their beds.

Dr. Beach was a burly, rough-mannered sort of man, but he could be very
kind and tender in the exercise of his profession. He wasted no time in
questions, but looked grave when he saw how the old man was hurt.

"Needn't tell me," said the Panther, quietly. "Know it's the end. Kill one
of 'em, anyhow!" he concluded in a tone of calm satisfaction.

"And I wish with all my heart you had killed the other," said the doctor,
bitterly. "He got off, I suppose."

The Panther showed his white teeth in a laugh. "No," he said, pointing to
me: "she got him--she and the cat. Pretty well for one little squaw and
pussy-cat. Mamma, you keep that kitty always."

"Where is the scoundrel?" asked the doctor.

"Shut up in that closet."

Here the man within cried out that he was "kilt" already, and should be
hung if we did not let him go.

"I hope you will, with all my heart," said the doctor.

With some difficulty we helped the Panther into the parlor and laid him on
the sofa.

He told us the story in a few words. He had been asleep when the door was
burst open. The man whom he had killed had fired the shot. He had kept his
feet to strike one blow with the axe, and the other man had sprung upon
him as he fe