"I see him; keep down out of sight!"
He placed the muzzle of his repeating Winchester over the side of the hollow, took careful aim at the rough head that had risen a few inches above the slight swell in the prairie, and let fly. The aim was a perfect one, as was shown by the instant disappearance of the crown and the cry, which from behind the elevation sounded as if much farther off.
Instantly three or four replies came from other points along the swell, and the bullets chipped the dirt about the face of Kingsland, who ducked his head out of range. Knowing, however, how much depended on his concealing his weakness from the hostiles, he fired four shots quickly, without special aim, and with no expectation of accomplishing anything except that named.
"If I can make them think there are half a dozen rifles here on the watch, they will be careful about attacking. But they mustn't know how weak we are."
"I don't admit that we are so weak in this hollow and with that repeating gun, and you feeling so strong and well."
At this juncture a cry was heard from Edith. She had forgotten the command of her father, and crept up the opposite slope.
"Oh, there is Wolf Ear!"
And before anyone could interpose she sprang up the bank and ran toward the ridge where her father had first seen the two hostiles. The horrified parents at the same moment saw three other Indians dash toward the innocent child, who never dreamed of her awful peril.
