It was a self-cocking weapon, and as rapidly as he could pull the trigger he delivered the contents of all six chambers at the guerillas.

Whether or not they fired in return he did not know, but as the smoke from his own fusillade cleared away he saw one man lying motionless in the road, and another dragging himself into the grass at one side.

From that direction also came the furious plunging of a horse.

Of the others who had pursued him nothing was to be seen.
Hastily reloading his revolver, and throwing another cartridge into the chamber of his rifle, Ridge nervously awaited further developments.
Would they again charge upon his front, or would they seek to outflank him by crawling through the dense growth on either side?
The latter would be the safer move, and could be easily made.
As our young soldier realized this, he decided to forestall the attempt by taking to the grass himself, and in another moment he was cautiously creeping on hands and knees amid the hot brown stalks that grew many feet above his head.

Fearing that his movement might attract attention, he did not go far; but, after making his way for a few rods parallel to the road, he again gained its edge and halted at a place where, peering between the grass stems, he could see his dead horse.
Here he lay motionless until he became convinced that his enemies had beaten a retreat and would trouble him no more.