“Stand, firm! The man who flies from the enemy dies by my hand.”
His voice reassured his men, but they shook, nevertheless, when Pomp gave them the benefit of his deadly long-range Colts.
The darkey opened the ball.
He led off with a neat double shot, picking the men off who sat on either side of the prisoners.
As the men fell, Sinyaro shrieked out in angry tones:
“Stab the prisoners to the heart!”
Two of his followers sprang from their horses and leaped upon the poor old people.
The aged couple were pulled from the backs of the horses they rode and hurled to the ground.
Then the assassins bent over them with knives upraised.
Frank Reade had done wisely in selecting the darkey to protect the old couple from assassination.