and, to give him the chance he
desired, I made a violent effort, and wrenched my arm downward. It was,
to all appearance, a demonstration of my wrath, at what the
pseudo-renegade had been saying to me; and it seemed to be thus
interpreted by most of the savages who stood around him. The words of
Sure-shot, spoken in English, were of course unintelligible to them;
but, notwithstanding the inappropriate gestures which he had made use
of, the suspicions of one were aroused. This was Red-Hand himself.

"What says he of the yellow scalp-lock to the captive?" inquired the
chief in Spanish. "Let him take heed, or he too shall become a
shooting-mark for the Arapaho warriors!"

Sure-shot's reply was characteristic. It was also in broken Spanish,
which the ranger had picked up during our campaign, on the Rio Grande.
Translated, it ran thus: "I'm only telling him how I'm about to get
square with him. _Carrambo_! great chief! when I was a soldier in the
army, yon fellow was my _capitano_, and gave me a flogging. Believe me,
chief, I'm right glad of this opportunity to have revenge on him.
That's what I have been saying to him."

"Ugh!" grunted the savage, apparently satisfied with the explanation.

"Neow, capting!" angrily shouted the rifleman, once more raising his
piece to the level, "look e' out! Don't be skeert abeout my hittin' o'
ye! The whang lies well ageen the bit o' timber. The ball's a big un.
I recking I kin bark it anyheow. Heer's to try!"

A tall yellow-haired man standing with a rifle to his shoulder--his
sallow cheek resting against the stock--the barrel apparently aligned
upon my body--the quick detonation of a percussion-cap--a stream of red
fire and smoke from the muzzle--a shock, followed by the quivering of
the timbers to which I was tied, were perceptions and sensations of
almost simultaneous occurrence. Twisting my head, and turning my eyes
almost out of their sockets, I was able to note the effect of the shot.
The thong had been hit, just at the point where it doubled over the edge
of the wood. It was cut more than half through! By raising my elbow to
its original position, and using it as a lever, I could tear apart the
crushed fibres. I saw this; but in the anticipation of a visit from the
marker, I prudently preserved my attitude of immobility. In a moment
after, the grinning savage came gliding in front of me; and, perceiving
the track of the bullet, pointed it out to those upon the