Coubitant saw her sink to the ground, and, with a mighty effort, he shook off the grasp of Jyanough, and darted towards Oriana.  He had thought to carry her off, a living prize, after the murder of her husband; but now his only hope was vengeance and her destruction would be vengeance, indeed, on Henrich.

But love is stronger even than hate.  The arms of Henrich snatched his unconscious wife from the threatened peril; and, as he bore her away from the scene of conflict, Jyanough again closed on the villain, and the deadly struggle was resumed.  It was brief, but awful.  The strength of Coubitant was becoming exhausted—­his grasp began to loosen, and his foot to falter.

‘Spare him!’ cried Henrich, as he saw the combatants on the verge of the craggy platform, and feared they would fall together on the rocks beneath.  ‘Spare him; and secure him for the judgement of Tisquantum.’  And again he laid Oriana on the ground, and rushed to save alike his friend and foe.

‘He dies!’ exclaimed Jyanough.  ‘Let him meet the fate he merits!’ And springing backwards himself, he dashed his antagonist over the rock.  One moment Henrich saw his falling form, and met the still fiery glance of that matchless eye—­the next, he heard the crash of breaking branches, and listened for the last fatal sound of the expiring body on the rocks below.  But the depth was too great:  an awful stillness followed; and, though Henrich strove to look downwards, and ascertain the fate of his departed foe, the boughs and creepers that clothed the perpendicular face of the rock, entirely prevented his doing so.

‘He is gone!’ he exclaimed; and not in a voice of either joy or triumph, for his soul was moved within him at the appalling fate of such a man as Coubitant and at such a moment!  ’He is gone to his last account:  and O! what fearful passions were in his heart!  Thank God, he did not drag you with him to death, my faithful Jyanough!  But tell me,’ he added—­as they returned together to where Oriana lay, still unconscious of the dreadful tragedy that had just been enacted so near her—­’ tell me, my friend, how it was that you were so near at hand, when danger, which I could not repel, hung over me, and your hand was interposed to save me?’

‘My mind misgave me that some treachery was intended,’ replied Jyanough, ’when I saw that wily serpent leading you to the mountain’s brow; and my suspicions were confirmed by his evident reluctance to my joining the party.  Rodolph’s expressive countenance told me, too, that there was danger to be feared; and no red man can excel Rodolph in sagacity.  So I resolved to be at hand if succor should be needed; and, having waited till you were all fairly out of sight and hearing, I followed slowly and stealthily, and reached the verge of the thicket just in time to hear the warning cry of your noble dog, and see that dastardly villain spring upon you from the bush.  The rest you know:  and