that the pursuers would content themselves
while the swift-footed youth left them out of sight. The moment they saw
that such an issue was likely, they would resort to their rifles, and
there could be no question of their skill with those weapons, which
they had been accustomed to use from the hour they were strong enough to
hold one of them.

There must have been some urgent wish on the part of the red men to
capture the youth, else they would have appealed to their guns at first.
The rearing mustang served as a partial shield to the fugitive, until he
was fairly under way and had secured a start of several rods, in fact
being almost invisible in the gloom at the moment the race fairly
opened.

The third glance over his shoulder showed him only two of the Comanches
in sight, and hardly half a minute elapsed, when, on looking back again,
only one was visible.

But the fact became speedily apparent that this particular red man was
as fleet as himself. He must have been the champion of his tribe, since
he parted company with his companions so speedily.

"I don't know whether I can shake you off or not," thought the fugitive,
"but it's a mighty sight better to be chased by a single enemy than by
several."

The youth determined upon a piece of strategy, should it prove possible.
He meant to keep up the flight, without escaping his pursuer, until he
was drawn so far away from the rest that he could receive no help from
them. This, at the same time, would encourage the miscreant in the
belief that he would soon overhaul and make him prisoner.

The first part of the scheme was comparatively simple. It was easier to
allow the scamp to gain upon him than it was to outrun him; it was
somewhat more difficult to hold the rates of speed relatively equal,
while it looked extremely doubtful whether, when the moment should
arrive, he could leave him behind.

In support of this view, Avon did not fail to remember that he had put
forth his utmost exertion from the first, and still was unable to shake
off his enemy, who clung as persistently to him as does the wolf to the
wounded bison.

What he feared, too, as much as anything else, was that the other
Comanches, who had withdrawn from the race, would hasten to the
vicinity of the cabin, and, mounting their mustangs, take part in the
struggle. If a horseman should get but a single glimpse of him, it would
not take him long to run the fugitive down.

It was this dread which cau