blood he had not wanted. But he had not been able to avoid it;
and mounting again with close-shut jaw and smoldering eye, he
galloped to the north.

Kentuck snorted; the pursuing wolves shied off in the grass; the
pale sun began to slant westward. The cold iron stirrups froze
and cut the hunter's bootless feet.

When once more he came hounding the buffalo, they were
considerably winded. Short-tufted tails, raised stiffly, gave
warning. Snorts, like puffs of escaping steam, and deep grunts
from cavernous chests evinced anger and impatience that might, at
any moment, bring the herd to a defiant stand.

He whizzed the shortened noose over the head of a calf that was
laboring painfully to keep up, and had slipped down, when a
mighty grunt told him of peril. Never looking to see whence it
came, he sprang into the saddle. Fiery Kentuck jumped into
action, then hauled up with a shock that almost threw himself and
rider. The lasso, fast to the horse, and its loop end round the
calf, had caused the sudden check.

A maddened cow bore down on Kentuck. The gallant horse
straightened in a jump, but dragging the calf pulled him in a
circle, and in another moment he was running round and round the
howling, kicking pivot. Then ensued a terrible race, with horse
and bison describing a twenty-foot circle. Bang! Bang! The hunter
fired two shots, and heard the spats of the bullets. But they
only augmented the frenzy of the beast. Faster Kentuck flew,
snorting in terror; closer drew the dusty, bouncing pursuer; the