St. Auban was now hurrying towards the river with his party. Already they
were but fifty yards from the boat, and a hundred still lay between him and
me. Furiously I pressed onward, and presently but half the distance
separated us, whilst they were still some thirty yards from their goal.
Then his two bravos faced round to meet me, and one, standing some fifty
paces in adÂvance of the other, levelled his musket and fired. But in his
haste he aimed too high; the bullet carried away my hat, and before the
smoke had cleared I was upon him. I had drawn a pistol from my holster,
but it was not needed; my horse passed over him before he could save
himself from my fearful charge.
In the fast-fading light a second musket barrel shone, and I saw the second
ruffian taking aim at me with not a dozen yards between us. With the old
soldier's instinct I wrenched at the reins till I brought my horse on to
his haunches. It was high time, for simultaneously with my action the
fellow blazed at me, and the scream of pain that broke from my steed told
me that the poor brute had taken the bullet.
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