He struck once, twice; he saw bodies whirl sidewise and fall to the ground.

Then suddenly he seemed alone, panting fiercely, the smashed rifle-stock uplifted for a blow.
"It's the big fellow," roared a voice at his left.

"Why don't you fools shoot ?" He sprang backward, crouching lower, his one endeavor to draw their fire, so as to protect her lying hidden among the rock shadows.

He felt nothing except contempt for those fellows, but he could not let them hurt her.

He stood up full in the starlight, shading his eyes in an attempt to see.