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The
feeling was dispelled by a slight movement of the horse which had drawn
its body slightly backward from the verge;(43)
the man remained immobile as before. Broad awake and keenly alive
to (44)
the significance of the situation, Druse now brought the butt of his rifle
against his cheek by cautiously pushing the barrel forward through the bushes
and, glancing through the sights, covered a vital
spot on the horseman’s breast.(45)
A touch upon the trigger and all would have been well
with Carter Druse.(46)
At that instant the
horseman turned his head and looked in the direction of his concealed
foe(47)
－seemed to look into his face, into his eyes.Carter
Druse grew pale; he shook in every limb, turned faint.(48)
His hand fell away from his weapon, his head slowly dropped until his face
rested on the leaves in which he lay.
It
was not for long; in another moment his face was raised from earth, his
hands resumed their places on the rifle, his orefinger sought the trigger;mind,
heart, and eyes were clear, conscience and reason sound.(49)
He could not hope to capture that enemy; to alarm
him would but send him dashing to his camp.
(50)The duty of the soldier
was plain: the man must be shot dead from ambush－without warning. But no－there
is a hope; he may have discovered nothing－perhaps
he is but admiring the landscape (51).
If permitted (52),
he may turn and ride carelessly away. It may well
(53)be
that his fixity of attention…. Druse turned his head and looked downward.
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English
Intensive Reading 
Introduction
