midnight
The tomahawk , however , was drawn back , as if he were only holding it a second , while he selected his victim . His eyes ! no imagination can conceive their fierce electric glitter as their burning gaze was fixed upon his merciless enemies . Black as midnight , they seemed to emit palpable rays , that shot through the air with an irresistibly penetrating power , and not once was their awful power eclipsed for an instant by the closing of the eyelid . Onward came the exultant Shawnees . There was no checking them , and throwing all his mighty strength in his right arm , Oonomoo hurled his tomahawk like a thunderbolt among them . Striking an Indian fair between the eyes , it clove his skull as if it had been wax ; and striking another on the shoulder , cut through the flesh and bone as if they were but the green leaves of the trees above , Fluellina sunk down by the feet of her husband in prayer , while he , changing his knife to his right hand , waited the shock of the coming avalanche !