The time for vituperation had passed.
It was now a battle to the death.
They were wonderfully matched. And though Jesse's hands and face were smeared with red blood that showed ghastly in the moonlight, he had sustained no wounds.
In a moment of relaxation he jabbed a thumb with all his force into the savage's eye.
The pain must have been excruciating. But the redskin gave no sign that he sensed its pain.
Great Bear had succeeded in unsheathing his knife, but his hand instantly was pinioned to the ground where the great outlaw held it in a vice-like grip.
All at once Jesse released his hold on the knife hand. The hand with lightning-like quickness shot up to make the fatal thrust.
It got no further.
With a movement equally quick, the desperado caught the hand and with an unexpected movement bent it backward.
"Snap!"