“Chief Oak Heart refused to allow any of his braves to scalp Danforth because he had fought so boldly.” “God bless the old red sinner for that!” murmured the much wrought-upon scout. Bennett laughed again. “But I am Death Killer, the medicine-chief, and I have come back myself to take the scalp-lock from the head of the man against whom I swore revenge.” “Boyd Bennett! accursed though you be, with a heart blacker than the foulest redskin can boast of, you would not do this wrong!” cried Buffalo Bill, in horror. “Watch me, scout.” “You shall not do it!” “You are mistaken; I shall. I came back with Red Knife and a few of the braves to point me out the place where Danforth fell. On the way we saw you arrive, and we dogged your steps to the very corpse of your friend. “Ha, Cody! this is sweet--this revenge. My kind have cast me off. Well, then! I cast the white men off! I spit upon them! I slay them! And now I scalp my enemy!” Bennett had worked himself into a species of frenzy. He sprang forward now, dropping his revolver, knife in hand, to carry out his threat. “Never shall you do this crime--not if this is my last act on earth!” shouted the scout. As he spoke he suddenly jerked a revolver from his belt, threw it forward, and fired pointblank at Boyd Bennett, all with the quickness of a flash of light! CHAPTER XXVIII. THE WHITE ANTELOPE INTERFERES. So rapid and unexpected was this movement of Buffalo Bill, in drawing his revolver and firing it, that not one of the warriors who stood behind the renegade chief--some with arrows already fitted to their bows, and others with rifles covering the scout--had time to fire. Yet, swift as he had been, one eye was quick enough to send an arrow upon its errand. The shaft struck the outstretched arm of the scout just as his finger pulled the trigger of his weapon, and the shock destroyed his aim. Having made this daring move, however, and believing that death must follow the deed, Buffalo Bill dropped his left hand upon his second pistol, determined to press the fight, kill Bennett, and die as had the brave man at his feet--fighting to the last! Maddened with rage and thirsting for the life of his foe, Boyd Bennett shouted to his warriors to rush upon the scout and take him alive that he might end his career by cruel torture. But suddenly a slender form darted before the red braves, and, with arrow set in readiness to let fly, the White Antelope thrust herself between the white man and the reds who would have seized him. “Let the Sioux braves hold their hands. The White Antelope commands it!” Like one man the reds halted, and even the renegade shrank back a step, gazing in fear and wonder on the apparition of the beautiful girl. Buffalo Bill, too, gazed upon the chief’s daughter in amazement. He knew now that the arrow he drew from the wound in his right forearm had been driven home by the girl; yet now she stood between him and his foes.