He did not like to be held back by one over whom he had thought
victory so easy. Suddenly he exerted his full strength and broke through
Paul's guard. The lad felt his left shoulder and arm seared as if by a
great flame, and, with a cry that he could not repress, he dropped back.
The swordsman, too, stepped back, sure now of his triumph. The shout came
from the crowd once more, but only from a part of it, and brave, faithful
Long Jim closed his eyes that he might not see what would follow.
The elated swordsman held up his weapon as one would a banner. It was a
broad blade like a cutlass and it glittered in the brilliant sunlight. The
next moment there was the sound of a shot, the man uttered a cry of pain,
although himself untouched, and the sword, broken in several pieces, fell
to the ground. It had been shot from his hand with a rifle bullet.
Long Jim, opening his eyes, uttered a cry of joy and Henry Ware, smoking
rifle in hand, pressed his way through the crowd, which he had entered
unnoticed in the excitement.
Francisco Alvarez sprang to his feet in anger. Not for some moments did he
see the figure of the one who fired the shot, and even then he did not
know who it was. But Braxton Wyatt knew Henry Ware at once, and he was
resolved that he should not escape.
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