The Indian emitted a grunt, which was followed by another as the desperate outlaw bored in and in with the bony knee until it seemed as if the flesh of the other's body must give way and let the knee find an easy path. The Indian's grasp slackened and Jesse's terrible fist smote him squarely in the face until the blood of the savage spurted into his own eyes. Again and again the outlaw rained sledge hammer blows on his opponent's face until it was reduced to a bloody pulp. But still the desperate battle waged. Now and then both men would lay still for a moment, clasped in a desperate embrace, gasping for breath, but speaking no word. The time for vituperation had passed. It was now a battle to the death. They were wonderfully matched. And though Jesse's hands and face were smeared with red blood that showed ghastly in the moonlight, he had sustained no wounds. In a moment of relaxation he jabbed a thumb with all his force into the savage's eye. The pain must have been excruciating. But the redskin gave no sign that he sensed its pain. Great Bear had succeeded in unsheathing his knife, but his hand instantly was pinioned to the ground where the great outlaw held it in a vice-like grip. All at once Jesse released his hold on the knife hand. The hand with lightning-like quickness shot up to make the fatal thrust. It got no further. With a movement equally quick, the desperado caught the hand and with an unexpected movement bent it backward. "Snap!" Great Bear cried out, and the hand hung limp. "Ha, ha! Reached you, did I?" gasped Jesse in triumphant tones. Great Bear snarled like a wounded animal. The hand though useless, slipped about the outlaw's neck and the savage's arm pinioned it in a grip of iron, while with his free hand he showered blows on the bandit's side. Jesse fastened his teeth in the redskin's cheek and when he pulled away there was left a great gaping wound, and the bandit spat out his toll of human flesh. The Indian's grip on Jesse's neck was released and Great Bear with his free hand dealt his antagonist a frightful blow on the side of his head. Jesse sunk down and all grew black about him. With a muffled yell of fiendish joy Great Bear sprang free of his antagonist, throwing Jesse with crushing force to the ground where he lay for a brief moment on his back. The redskin scrambled for his knife. It was but the work of an instant for him to secure it. He made a mighty leap for his desperate, fallen antagonist, his face contorted with the awful passion that was raging within him. But the brief respite had given Jesse's wonderful recuperative powers, time to act. Yet he lay perfectly still calmly awaiting the onslaught. The Indian sprang clear of the ground, projecting his body at his fallen antagonist and with gleaming knife held aloft for the fatal blow, was descending upon him with crushing force.