To Win or to Die | Page 7

for
their lives, and he meant to fire at each if he had time, and scare them,
for he felt disposed to show as much mercy as he would to a pack of
savage wolves.
But matters were not to fall out exactly as he had calculated. He
tramped steadily on, with the fire growing brighter, and at last he took

out the revolver to examine it by touch once more, as he walked on
more swiftly now, meaning to go forward a hundred yards or so and
then proceed more cautiously, so as to make sure the enemy was
asleep.
All at once he stopped short, startled.
The enemy was not asleep, for he saw a dark shadow pass before the
glowing light.
The adventurer stopped short for a few moments, but not in hesitation.
It was merely to alter his plan of attack; but the next minute all
planning was cast to the winds, for there rang out on the night air a wild
cry for help--such an appeal as he had himself uttered so short a time
before.
The cry was repeated, sending a thrill of excitement through the listener,
and telling its own tale. To the hearer it was as plain as if he had been
told that the gang of ruffians had waylaid another unfortunate, who was
about to share his own fate.
He rushed forward at once, and as he ran and stumbled he could see
that a desperate struggle was going on, figures in fierce contention
passing in front of and once trampling through the fire, whose embers
were kicked and scattered in all directions.
Suddenly two figures stepped aside into the full light, leaving two
others wrestling together; and this was the opportunity needed. Their
first victim could see plainly that the former were enemies, and
stopping short when about twenty yards away, he fired. Both turned to
gaze in the direction from which the flash and report had come.
They were in time to see another flash. Another report raised the echoes,
and they turned and fled.
Then the struggle ceased, and the adventurer saw another figure
disappearing into the darkness after his two companions.

As he dashed off the young fellow rushed up in time to seize the victim,
who staggered helplessly, trampling among the burning embers, among
which he would have fallen but for the willing hands which dragged
him aside, and lowered him down, before their owner began to kick
about and scatter the fire, which hissed and smoked and steamed, as
snow was heaped over, and raised a veil to hide the pair from their
enemies while the bright light was dying out.
The next act was to find out whether the enemy were yet in the vicinity.
The adventurer advanced for some distance into the darkness, but all
was still.
Satisfied that he could not be seen, the young man went on for some
little distance; but it was evident that the sudden attack had done its
work, and the party had fled for their lives.
"The question is, will they recover themselves and come back?" he
muttered. "Well, we must be on our guard. Two in the right against
three in the wrong. Those are fair odds. Two in the right! Suppose it is
only one."
He hurried back towards the scene of the encounter, guided by the
faintly glowing embers lying here and there, and the dark, blinding
wood-smoke which was borne towards him by the light icy wind which
came down the defile.
"Suppose they have killed him!"
"Who are you? But whoever you are," came in a hoarse whisper, "if it
hadn't been for you those ruffians would have settled me."
"Thank heaven, then, I was in time. Can you help me trample out the
rest or this fire?"
"Hadn't we better escape? You might help me drag my sled into a place
of safety."
"There is no place of safety near," was the reply; "and it's cold enough

to freeze us to death. We had better stay here."
"But we dare not light a fire; they would see us, and come and pick us
off."
"I don't think the cowardly hounds will dare to come back."
"But they might, and I dare not risk it."
"Are you hurt?"
"Not seriously, but wrenched and strained in the struggle. Can you
understand what I say? I don't know my own voice."
"Yes, I can hear you. What is it--a cold?"
"No; I was right enough an hour ago. That red-bearded dog caught me
by the throat. He was trying to strangle me. I fired at random, and then
my senses were going, but I heard your shots. He has quite taken away
my voice. Where is your hand, sir?"
"Here: what do you want?"
"Just to