A furious roar uttered by the tigers burst forth; a crashing of branches agitated an adjoining thicket, and an enormous mass, bounding from the top of the tree, passed over the Canadian's head and disappeared; at the same instant a flash burst through the gloom and a shot was heard, answered almost immediately by a roar of agony and a shriek of horror. "Courage, Niña, courage!" a masculine voice exclaimed, a short distance off, "You are saved!" The hunters, by a supreme effort of their will, increased their speed, which was already incredible, and at length entered the scene of action. A strange and terrible sight then offered itself to their horror-stricken gaze. In a small clearing a fainting woman was stretched out on the ground, by the side of a ripped-up horse, which was struggling in the final convulsions. This female was motionless, and appeared to be dead. Two young tigers, crouching like cats, fixed their ardent eyes upon her, and were preparing to attack her; a few paces further on a wounded tiger was writhing on the ground with horrid roars, and trying to leap on a man, who, with one knee on the ground, with his left arm enveloped in the numerous folds of a zarapé, and the right armed with a long machete, was resolutely awaiting its attack. Behind the man, a horse, with outstretched neck, smoking nostrils and laid-back ears, was quivering with terror, while a second tiger, posted on the largest branch of a larch tree, fixed its burning glances on the dismounted rider, while lashing the air with its tail, and uttering hoarse miauls. What we have taken so long to describe, the hunters saw at a glance; quick as lightning the bold adventurers selected their parts, with a look of sublime simplicity. While Quoniam leaped on the tiger cubs, and seizing them by the scurf, dashed their brains out against a rock, Tranquil shouldered his rifle, and killed the tigress at the moment when she was leaping on the horseman. Then turning with marvellous speed he killed the second tiger with the butt of his rifle, and laid it stiff at his feet. "Ah!" the hunter said, with a feeling of pride, as he rested his rifle on the ground, and wiped his forehead, which was bathed in a cold perspiration. "She lives!" Quoniam shouted, who understood what agony his friend's exclamation contained; "Fear alone made her faint, but she is otherwise unhurt." The hunter slowly took off his cap, and raised his eyes to heaven. "Thanks, O God!" he murmured, with an accent of gratitude impossible to render. In the meanwhile, the horseman, so miraculously saved by Tranquil, had walked up to him. "I will do the same for you, some day," he said, as he held out his hand. "It is I who am your debtor," the hunter answered, frankly; "had it not been for your sublime devotion, I should have arrived too late." "I have done no more than another in my place." "Perhaps so. Your name, brother?" "Loyal Heart. Yours?" "Tranquil. We are friends for life and death."