第80章

Again the revolver rang out, once, twice, thrice, and at each crack a leader on the flank farthest away plunged down and was submerged by the rushing tide behind.For an instant the column faltered on its left and slowly began to swerve in that direction.Then upon the leaders of the right flank the black horse charged furiously, biting, kicking, plunging like a thing possessed of ten thousand devils.Steadily, surely the line continued to swerve.

"My God!" cried Cameron, unable to believe his eyes."They are turning! They are turned!"With wild cries and discharging his revolver fair in the face of the leaders, Cameron rushed out into the open and crossed the mouth of the funnel.

"Go back, you fool! Go back!" yelled the man on horseback."Go back! I have them!" He was right.Cameron's sudden appearance gave the final and necessary touch to the swerving movement.

Across the mouth of the funnel with its yawning deadly cut-bank, and down the side coulee, carrying part of the fence with them, the herd crashed onward, with the black horse hanging on their flank still biting and kicking with a kind of joyous fury.

"Raven! Raven!" cried Cameron in glad accents."It is Raven!

Thank God, he is straight after all!" A great tide of gratitude and admiration for the outlaw was welling up in his heart.But even as he ran there thundered past him an Indian on horseback, the reins flying loose and a rifle in his hands.As he flashed past a gleam of moonlight caught his face, the face of a demon.

"Little Thunder!" cried Cameron, whipping out his gun and firing, but with no apparent effect, at the flying figure.

With his gun still in his hand, Cameron ran on down the coulee in the wake of Little Thunder.Far away could be heard the roar of the rushing herd, but nothing could be seen of Raven.Running as he had never run in his life, Cameron followed hard upon the Indian's track, who was by this time some hundred yards in advance.

Suddenly in the moonlight, and far down the coulee, Raven could be seen upon his black horse cantering easily up the slope and toward the swiftly approaching Indian.

"Raven! Raven!" shouted Cameron, firing his gun."On guard! On guard!"Raven heard, looked up and saw the Indian bearing down upon him.

His horse, too, saw the approaching foe and, gathering himself, in two short leaps rushed like a whirlwind at him, but, swerving aside, the Indian avoided the charging stallion.Cameron saw his rifle go up to his shoulder, a shot reverberated through the coulee, Raven swayed in his saddle.A second shot and the black horse was fair upon the Indian pony, hurling him to the ground and falling himself upon him.As the Indian sprang to his feet Raven was upon him.He gripped him by the throat and shook him as a dog shakes a rat.Once, twice, his pistol fell upon the snarling face and the Indian crumpled up and lay still, battered to death.

"Thank God!" cried Cameron, as he came up, struggling with his sobbing breath."You have got the beast.""Yes, I have got him," said Raven, with his hand to his side, "but I guess he has got me too.And--" he paused.His eye fell upon his horse lying upon his side and feebly kicking--"ah, I fear he has got you as well, Nighthawk, old boy." As he staggered over toward his horse the sound of galloping hoofs was heard coming down the coulee.

"Here are some more of them!" cried Cameron, drawing out his guns.

"All right, Cameron, my boy, just back up here beside me," said Raven, as he coolly loaded his empty revolver."We can send a few more of these devils to hell.You are a good sport, old chap, and I want to go out in no better company.""Hold up!" cried Cameron."There is a woman.Why, there is a Policeman.They are friends, Raven.It is the doctor and Moira.

Hurrah! Here you are, Martin.Quick! Quick! Oh, my God! He is dying!"Raven had sunk to his knees beside his horse.They gathered round him, a Mounted Police patrol picked up on the way by Dr.Martin, Moira who had come to show them the trail, and Smith.

"Nighthawk, old boy," they heard Raven say, his hand patting the shoulder of the noble animal, "he has done for you, I fear." His voice came in broken sobs.The great horse lifted his beautiful head and looked round toward his master."Ah, my boy, we have done many a journey together!" cried Raven as he threw his arm around the glossy neck, "and on this last one too we shall not be far apart." The horse gave a slight whinny, nosed into his master's hand and laid his head down again.A slight quiver of the limbs and he was still for ever."Ah, he has gone!" cried Raven, "my best, my only friend.""No, no," cried Cameron, "you are with friends now, Raven, old man." He offered his hand.Raven took it wonderingly.

"You mean it, Cameron?"