He had decided in his mind the precise point where the head of the Indian would rise to view, and he was resolved not to throw away his chance this time. The moment he could make sure of his target, he would perforate it with several bullets, in order to prevent any possible mistake.
But, though the sound was repeated, the object itself failed to materialize. It was there, but he could not see it clearly enough to risk a shot.
Strange that, with all the Texan’s experience, this fact did not lead him to suspect the real cause of the warrior’s continued absence!
But at the moment he began speculating, he became convinced that his enemy was moving. He was there and had betrayed himself.
Everyone knows the extreme difficulty of seeing an object distinctly when the light is poor, and we concentrate our gaze upon it. That which is clear at first grows dim and perhaps vanishes altogether from sight.
Something of the kind is noticeable when we try to count the seven stars of the Pleiades. 129 It is easy enough to fix upon six, but if we gaze too intently, the seventh modestly withdraws from view.
This was the case for a minute or two with Captain Shirril. The first glance at the suspicious point showed him the outlines of a head, but while gazing at it, he began to doubt whether it was there at all. Aware of the peculiarity named, he turned his eyes toward a spot several feet removed, and then glanced back to the original point.
The Comanche was there!
The Texan sighted his pistol as best he could in the obscurity, but, while doing so with all care, the target began to grow dim, until he was afraid that, if he pressed the trigger, a miss would result, and surely he could not afford that.