It would take a thousand men to find him after the night's storm had covered up his retreat, and if one should find him they two would be alone to fight it out.
For a moment he stopped to listen and stare futilely into the blackness behind him.

When he turned to go on his heart stood still.

A shadow had loomed out of the night half a dozen paces ahead of him, and before he could raise his revolver the shadow was lightened by a sharp flash of fire.

Howland staggered back, his fingers loosening their grip on his pistol, and as he crumpled down into the snow he heard over him the hoarse voice that had urged on the dog.

After that there was a space of silence, of black chaos in which he neither reasoned nor lived, and when there came to him faintly the sound of other voices.