ved me. But for him--Father! he must not--he shall not die!"

"Saved ye? What do ye mean, gurl?"

"Hilloo! what's all this rumpus?"

The familiar ejaculation, and its adjunct interrogatory, admonished me
that a new personage had appeared upon the scene. The voice came from
behind. On turning, I beheld the unexpected speaker--a man on
horseback, who had ridden up to the bars; and having halted there was
craning his neck into the enclosure--gazing upon the scene that was
being enacted there, with a singular half-comic, half-satirical
expression of countenance!

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

THE PEACEMAKER.

Without knowing why, I hailed the arrival of this stranger as opportune.
Perhaps his presence, added to the entreaties of that fair young
creature--still urgent in my behalf--might prevent the effusion of
blood. Indeed, I had already determined that none should be spilled by
_me_--let the consequences be as they might; and whatever was to be the
_denouement_ of this awkward affair, I had resolved that my rifle should
have nought to do in deciding it. The piece had fallen to the "order
arms;" the ill-omened birds had forsaken their perch; and, now soaring
in the blue sky, almost beyond the reach of human vision, their
movements were no longer heeded--neither by my adversary nor myself.

Turning away from the stranger--whom I had only regarded for a second or
two--I faced again to the more interesting tableau in front of me.
That, too, was rapidly undergoing a change. The squatter no longer
clung to his rifle. The girl had taken it from his hands; and was
hurrying with it into the door of the cabin. There was no hindrance
made by my antagonist! On the contrary, he appeared to have delivered
it over to her--as if the affair between us was to have a pacific
termination, or, at all events, a respite.

What surprised me more than all was the altered demeanour of my
adversary. His whole manner seemed to have undergone a sudden change.
Sudden it must have been, since it had taken place during a second or
two, while my attention was occupied by the newly arrived horseman.
What still further astonished me, was, that this transformation was
evidently produced by the presence of the stranger himself! That it was
not due to the young girl's interference, I had evidence already. That
had not moved him for a moment. Her earnest appeal had received a
repulse--energetic and decisive, as it was rude; and of itself woul