And Sevier smiled as he blocked each attempt, but he was more keenly concerned than Hester imagined. Suddenly the bully butted his head and at the same time wrenched a hand free and plunged it to the borderer’s belt. Sevier bowed his head and received the blow on his forehead, the two skulls crashing together with sickening force. For a second the borderer’s head swam; in the next he had struck Hester’s hand to one side, but not before the bully’s long fingers had gripped a knife. “Now!” yelled Hester, stabbing joyously. “And now!” replied Sevier, avoiding the thrust and pulling the second knife. “I like this much better.” Hester was surprised at the expression of relief on Chucky Jack’s face. “Ye was skeered of my hands?” he grunted, thrusting tentatively. “I was afraid,” confessed Sevier, stepping to one side and forcing him toward the bushes. “Just as I’m afraid of a mad-wolf’s bite. But this is clean sport. I like it.” Hester believed him and woefully regretted his shift to the knives. But he grew optimistic as he observed Sevier kept darting glances about, a dangerous practice for a knife-fighter, and exulted: “Gittin’ sick, eh? Tryin’ to find a chance to sneak out, eh?” “Hardly that,” corrected Sevier, scoring him in the forearm. “I had planned to take you alive. Now I’ve decided to kill you; and as Miss Tonpit is recovering her senses I’m just looking for a place where you can die without disturbing her.” As he spoke he thrust and slashed and drove the bully back to the fringe of bushes. Hester’s face glistened with sweat. Did he dare shift his gaze aside, he believed he would behold cowled Death waiting for him. Then there rang a long-drawn cry that caused the combatants to throw up their heads and for a moment to neglect their grim business. “Elsie-e-e! Oh, Elsie-e-e!” called the voice, and Sevier heard the girl stir behind him. For a moment the borderer relaxed the pressure of his attack, and with a loud yell Hester leaped backward and threw his knife and jumped into the bushes. The knife, thrown blindly, landed haft first between Sevier’s eyes and confused him for a second. Before he could pursue the bully the girl’s name was shouted again, and the girl, now on her knees, faintly answered: “This way, father! Come to me!” Sevier hesitated. He could hear his antagonist crashing away in frantic flight and he knew he could easily overtake him. But close at hand Major Tonpit was loudly calling, and the girl could not be left alone. Now she was on her feet and staring at him wildly. “Who are you with a knife in your hand?” she whispered. He advanced and with a little scream of terror she drew back, not recognizing him because of his disordered garments, his scratched and soiled countenance. “You’ve forgotten John Sevier?” he asked. With a glad cry she ran to him and clutched his arm and stared about in search of Hester.