“Two done for,” quoth the youth to himself as he wheeled about for a second encounter.  “Well, a mounted man should be a match for two on foot.

“Ha! what is that?” for even as he spoke he felt a sharp, stinging pain in one shoulder, and simultaneously the report of firearms rang out once more.  His adversaries had not been slow to avenge the death of their comrade, and their aim was as true as his own.  The traveller knew that his only chance was now to close with his foes and grapple with them before they could load their piece again.

His right arm was partially disabled, as he felt in a moment.  He could no longer swing the trusty little axe which had done good service before; but there was the deadly guisarme at his side.  Sultan could be trusted to carry him straight to the foe without any guidance beyond that of the pressure of knee and foot; and grasping the weapon in both hands, he gallantly charged back upon the men, who stood grimly awaiting his next movement with every intention of unhorsing and slaying him.

The odds were heavy against him.  The two ruffians who stood to bar his way were stalwart, powerful fellows, well inured to this kind of warfare; and the chief, who though wounded was not killed, had struggled to his feet, and was plainly endeavouring, though with difficulty, to reach the handgun and reload it.  The girl was still encumbered by the heavy cloak which had been knotted about her head and hands, and was not at once thrown off.  The traveller plainly saw that there was no time to be lost if he was to escape with his own life, or save the damsel from a fate perhaps worse than death.

“Forward, Sultan!” he cried.

And the good horse dashed back upon the enemy; and the youth, holding his weapon in both hands, strove as he passed to deal a deadly blow to one of his assailants.  But the man was quick, and his own strength impaired by the injury he had received.  The lance-like point of the weapon inflicted a deep gash upon the face of one of his adversaries, causing him to yell with rage and pain, but no vital injury had been inflicted upon either; whilst a savage blow from the other upon the youth’s left arm had broken the bone, and he felt as if his last moment had surely come.

But it did not occur to him even then to save himself by flight, as he could well have done, seeing that he was mounted and that the robbers were on foot.  Disabled as he was, he wheeled about once more, and half maddened by pain and the desperation of his case, rode furiously upon the only man who had not yet received some injury.  The robber awaited his charge with a smile of triumph upon his face; but he triumphed a little too soon.