Purvis, you hold these horses while we fight it out." Purvis caught Latour's horse and brought the others close to mine and gathered the reins in his hand.

I shall never forget how pale he looked and how fast he was breathing and how his hands trembled.
I jumped off and ran for my man.

He faced me bravely.

I landed a stunning blow squarely on his nose and he fell to the ground.

Long before, Hacket had told me that a swift attack was half the battle and I have found it so more than once, for I have never been slow to fight for a woman's honor or a friend's or my own--never, thank God! Latour lay so quietly for a moment that I was frightened.