I now experienced that pleasure as he stood sullenly eyeing me within fifteen paces.

Poor stupid fellow! I would willingly, in my ignorance, have betted ten to one upon the shot, so certain was I of his death in another instant.
I took a quick but steady aim at his chest, at the point of connection with the throat.

The smoke of the barrel passed to one side;--there he stood--he had not flinched; he literally had not moved a muscle.
The only change that had taken place was in his eye; this, which had hitherto been merely sullen, was now beaming with fury; but his form was as motionless as a statue.

A stream of blood poured from a wound within an inch of the spot at which I had aimed; had it not been for this fact, I should not have believed him struck.
Annoyed at the failure of the shot, I tried him with the left-hand barrel at the same hole.

The report of the gun echoed over the lake, but there he stood as though he bore a charmed life;--an increased flow of blood from the wound and additional lustre in his eye were the only signs of his being struck.
I was unloaded, and had not a single ball remaining.