Thrilling adventures among the early settlers, embracing desperate encounters with Indians, Tories, and refugees; daring exploits of Texan rangers and others .. . f at a hight opening in front. He raised his rifle to fire, and inthe same moment a shot from his rear admonished him that dangerwas all around; another took effect in his side, and warned him of22 338 A RACE FOR LIFE. the danger of delay. The Indian in front had disappeared, and hehastened forward, with the love of life and liberty still strong in hisbreast, although his powers of endurance had been sadly, fearfullytested. The wound
Thrilling adventures among the early settlers, embracing desperate encounters with Indians, Tories, and refugees; daring exploits of Texan rangers and others .. . f at a hight opening in front. He raised his rifle to fire, and inthe same moment a shot from his rear admonished him that dangerwas all around; another took effect in his side, and warned him of22 338 A RACE FOR LIFE. the danger of delay. The Indian in front had disappeared, and hehastened forward, with the love of life and liberty still strong in hisbreast, although his powers of endurance had been sadly, fearfullytested. The wound in his side bled freely, although only a flesh-wonud, and therefore not dangerous nor painful. It served, how-ever, to track him by, and, conscious of the fact, he managed totear a strip from his hunting-shirt and stanch the blood. On, on went pursuer and pursued—over hill and dale, brook,streamlet, and running stream—through briar and bramble, through field and wood—until the parchedand burning tongueof the fugitive pro-truded from hismouth, swelled tosuch distention asalmost to stop hisbreathing. Ex-hausted naturecould do no more,and he threw him-. THE LAST SHOT. self prostrate on the bank of a tiny brook, resolved to yield the con-test for the sake of a hearty draught of its clear, sparkling bathed his brow in the cool element, and drank deeply of itsreviving virtues. Eaising his head, he discovered the foremost ofthe now scattered and equally exhausted enemy, crossing the browof a ridge over which he had just passed. The instinct of life wasawakened afresh in his bosom at the sight, and he started to his feetand raised his rifle to his shoulder; but his failing strength wouldnot allow of a certain aim, and an empty weupon might ensure his A RACE FOR LIFE. 339 death. Another moment, and he would be at the mercy of hisenemy, without hope or chance of hfe. Again he raised his trusty rifle, and, steadying its barrel against asapling, he secured his aim, fired,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectfrontierandpioneerli
