traitor was in earnest, and Archie
watched the opportunity to begin the struggle himself.

"Yes, sir," continued Arthur, "I've got you now just where I want you. I
am going to settle this little difference between us, and then I shall
take you back to Pierre. If you have any apologies to make, I am willing
to listen to them."

The effect of these words not a little astonished the traitor. He had
been sure that Archie would be terribly frightened, and that he would
either seek safety in flight, or beg hard for mercy; consequently, he
was not prepared for what really happened. Scarcely had Arthur ceased
speaking, when the place where Archie was standing became suddenly
vacant, and, before the traitor could move a finger, his gun was torn
from his grasp and pitched over the cliff into the gorge. As the weapon
fell whirling through the air, both barrels were discharged, and the
reports awoke a thousand echoes, which reverberated among the mountains
like peals of thunder.

"Now we are on equal terms," exclaimed Archie, as he clasped the traitor
around the body and attempted to throw him to the ground. "You remember
that you struck Johnny last night, when he was bound, hand and foot, and
couldn't defend himself, don't you?"

"Yes; and now I am going to serve you worse than that," replied Arthur,
who, although surprised and taken at great disadvantage by the
suddenness of the attack, struggled furiously, and to such good purpose
that he very soon broke Archie's hold; "I am going to fling you over the
cliff after that gun."

The contest that followed was carried on on the very edge of the
precipice, and was long and desperate. Archie, bruised and battered in a
hundred places, and weary with a night's travel, was scarcely a match
for the fresh and vigorous Arthur, who, in his blind rage, seemed
determined to fulfill his threat of throwing him over the cliff after
the gun. Fortune favored first one and then the other; but Archie's
indomitable courage and long wind carried the day, and he finally
succeeded in bearing his antagonist to the ground and holding him there.

"You are not going to throw me over, are you?" gasped Arthur, who was
humble enough, now that he had been worsted.

"Do you take me for a savage?" panted Archie, in reply. "I simply wanted
to save myself from a whipping that I did not deserve, and I've done it.
Now you must go to the settlement with me, to"--

"Here you are!" exclaimed a familiar voice. "Le