It was a startling sight, when Captain Shirril, stretched at full length on the roof of his cabin, gazed in front of him and saw the head and shoulders of a Comanche Indian slowly rise to view at the corner of the eaves.  
He could not doubt its meaning: the assailants were on burning the structure, and were willing to face the danger that was sure to meet them in making the attempt.
 
Even in this exciting moment, the Texan could not help asking himself the question which he had asked many times before: why did not the redskins set fire to the side of the house, where they were involved in no such as now? They might have gathered several armfuls of combustibles, and, heaping them against the wooden walls, fire them at their leisure, but, for some reason, they preferred 120to climb upon the roof, and run the risk of colliding with the Dinah or her fearless master.
 
In doing as they did, the Comanches were shrewder than would be supposed. It is true that the narrow windows commanded only one side of the cabin, and that the attempt spoken of brought little if any danger to themselves. In fact, as was learned, they did their best to set fire to the rear, and at the end, but the timber was so damp that the flames failed to communicate. The long continued drought the walls to a far less degree than the roof, where the sun had free play day after day. Had there been a driving storm, the top would have been less favorable than the walls, but from the causes named it lost its moisture much more readily.
 
Besides, the flames on the roof could not be reached as readily nor with so much safety by the as at the sides. They naturally believed there was plenty of water at command. The moment the fire should begin to show through the in the 121timbers, this could be dashed against the other side and brought into play.
 
It was different on the roof, which could not be reached so well. There may have been other influencing the Comanches in the first instance, such as supposing that the whites, having once the attempt, would not look for its repetition, since the Indians must expose themselves to the greatest possible peril.
 
However, without speculating as to their reasons, the fact remained that a second Indian was rising like an above the eaves, with the evident intention of trying to repair the failure of his companion a short time before.
 
Captain Shirril felt that it would have been better had he stayed where he was; for, with his head just above the level of the , he could have picked off the the very moment he became aware of his presence.
 
But now, while creeping so guardedly along the roof, he had held his rifle by the barrel, with most of the weapon behind him. Had it been discharged, in that position, it was he 122who would have received the bullet, instead of the Indian.
 
To make the gun effective, he must bring it around in front and sight it. While his own form pressed the planking so close that the failed to identify him, though carefully scanning the surface, there was a strong probability that he would detect the meaning of the slight noise involved in the act.
 
The Texan dared not advance nor retreat, though he would have preferred to withdraw through the opening; but the moment he made sure of what confronted him, he began bringing his gun forward, with the resolve to fire the moment he could draw a on the .
 
The weapon advanced like the minute-hand over the face of a clock. Knowing the stake for which he was working, he did not neglect any precaution that could bring success.
 
“He can duck his head quickly enough,” thought the captain, “but I’ll pick him off the instant there is reason to believe he .”
 
123
His intention, in such an event, was to bring his Winchester to the right position and discharge it with the utmost celerity. His experience i............