He had one shot
left in his revolver, and this time he did not fire into the air.
It was a mighty risk, for the animal in falling might stagger
against the horse and hunt them all down to death. But the man
took it without apparent hesitation. Into the ear of the bullock
he sent the lead crashing. The brute stumbled and went down head
over heels. Its flying hoofs struck the flanks of the pony, but
the bronco stuck to its feet, and next moment staggered out from
among the herd stragglers and came to halt.
The man slid from its back and lifted down the half-fainting
girl. She clung to him, white a trembling. "Oh, it was horrible,
Ned!" She could still look down in imagination upon the sea of
dun backs that swayed and surged about them like storm-tossed
waves.
"It was a near thing, but we made it, girl. So did Jim. He got
out before we did. It's all past now. You can remember it as the
most exciting experience of your life."
She shuddered. "I don't want to remember it at all." And so
shaken was she that she did not realize that his arm was about
her the while she sobbed on his shoulder.
"A cattle stampede is a nasty thing to get in front of. Never
mind. It's done with now and everybody's safe.
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