t his
pursuers should still think Edith was with him. Be that as it may, one
thing was certain. The pursuer and pursued at this point were very
close together--closer than the safety of the latter could admit for
any length of time.

A few hundred yards further, the dark face of the Huron lit up with an
expression of admiring pleasure.

"Him run agin," said he, glancing to O'Hara, who was now beside him.

The steps of the flying Rifleman now lengthened rapidly, as if he had
traveled at superhuman speed. As O'Hara saw the remarkable leaps which
he must have taken, he could not help exclaiming, in admiration: "Go
it, Lew. I'd like to see the red-skin that could overhaul you, when
you're a mind to bring your pegs down to it."

"Run much--like scar't deer," added Oonamoo.

"Yes, _sir_; Lew has been letting out just along here, and I reckon
them Injins never seen such steps as he took."

It was very evident that the hunter had "let out" to his utmost
ability, and with the determination of leaving his pursuers far in the
rear. Previous to this he had not called his formidable power into
play; but so rapidly had his gait increased that in many places his
footsteps were fully ten feet apart!

It had not escaped the notice of Oonamoo and O'Hara, that a white man
was among the pursuers, and it occasioned considerable speculation upon
the part of the latter. The trails of the two were distinguishable,
Dernor having a small, well-shaped foot, inclining outward very
slightly, while that of the other was large, heavy, turning outward at
a very large angle.

"Who can this chap be?" asked O'Hara of his companion.

"Renegade--bad white man--Girty--white chief."

"Whew! I see how it is now. That's the dog that hung around the
settlers on the night of the storm, and got fired at a dozen times."

"Why no killed--no hurt?"

"We didn't know who he was, and all shot at his breast."

"Ugh! no hurt him, then."

"No, for, they say, the dog often wears a bullet-proof plate over his
breast, and his life has, more than once, been saved by it. He's a
brave man, for all he's such an inhuman brute; for who would dare to
sit and let us fire agin and agin at him, when it was just as likely
we'd fire at his head as at his breast? It was more of an accident than
any thing else that we didn't kill him."

"Bad man--kill women and children," said Oonamoo.

"No one disputes that. What a pity we didn't know him when we first set
eyes on hi