That was Noreen's face I looked into—ay, and the girl was actually dragging the fellow off me! I took another breath, a long one, moving so that the inert body rolled over on its side; then I rose up, supporting myself on one arm, and stared about, sobbing in the first effort to regain control. What had happened? how had I been saved? I was too much confused to think, or reason. I had been within an ace of death, and realized some miracle alone had saved me. I trembled so with weakness that I sank helplessly back to the floor, my eyes closing. Then her hands touched me; I felt my head lifted into her lap, her fingers stroked my face, and pressed back my hair. Again I forced my eyes open, and looked at her.
"Noreen!" the name choked in my throat, yet must have been uttered.
"Yes; it is all right now—Cowan is dead."
"Dead! You—you killed him?"
"No; it must have been your shot. I had no chance; you—you two fought like mad men—then—then he just let go of you, and fell back. I was afraid to come—I thought at first he had killed you."
"My shot! why the revolver just went off," I muttered, scarcely comprehending. "See! the bullet burned me across the chest, and there is blood there.
