按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
what was possible； even to the extent of putting him out of his misery； if
nothing else could be done。 Yet she scanned the surroundings closely； and
peered into the bushes and behind the rocks before she tried to urge Sage King
closer。 He refused to go nearer； and Lucy dismounted。
The red horse was partly hidden by overbending brush。 He had plunged into a
hole full of cactus。 There was a hackamore round his nose and a tight noose
round his neck。 The one round his neck was also round his forelegs。 And both
lassoes were held taut by the black horse。 A torn and soiled rider's scarf
hung limp round the red horse's nose； kept from falling off by the hackamore。
〃A wild horse； a stallion； being broken！〃 exclaimed Lucy； instantly grasping
the situation。 〃Oh！ where's the rider？〃
She gazed around； ran to and fro； glanced down the little slope； and beyond；
but she did not see anything resembling the form of a man。 Then she ran back。
Lucy took another quick look at the red stallion。 She did not believe either
his legs or back were hurt。 He was just played out and tangled and tied in the
ropes； and could not get up。 The shaggy black horse stood there braced and
indomitable。 But he； likewise； was almost ready to drop。 Looking at the
condition of both horses and the saddle and ropes； Lucy saw what a fight there
had been； and a race！ Where was the rider？ Thrown； surely； and back on the
trail； perhaps dead or maimed。
Lucy went closer to the stallion so that she could almost touch him。 He saw
her。 He was nearly choked。 Foam and blood wheezed out with his heaves。 She
must do something quickly。 And in her haste she pricked her arms and shoulders
on the cactus。
She led the black horse closer in； letting the ropes go； slack。 The black
seemed as glad of that release as she was。 What a faithful brute he looked！
Lucy liked his eyes。
Then she edged down in among the cactus and brush。 The red horse no longer lay
in a strained position。 He could lift his head。 Lucy saw that the noose still
held tight round his neck。 Fearlessly she jerked it loose。 Then she backed
away； but not quite out of his reach。 He coughed and breathed slowly； with
great heaves。 Then he snorted。
〃You're all right now；〃 said Lucy； soothingly。 Slowly she reached a hand
toward his head。 He drew it back as far as he could。 She stepped around；
closer； and more back of him； and put a hand on him； gently； for an instant。
Then she slipped out of the brush and； untying one lasso from the pommel； she
returned to the horse and pulled it from round his legs。 He was free now；
except the hackamore； and that rope was slack。 Lucy stood near him； watching
him； talking to him； waiting for him to get up。 She could not be sure he was
not badly hurt till he stood up。 At first he made no efforts to rise。 He
watched Lucy； less fearfully； she imagined。 And she never made a move。 She
wanted him to see； to understand that she had not hurt him and would not hurt
him。 It began to dawn upon her that he was magnificent。
Finally； with a long； slow heave he got to his feet。 Lucy led him out of the
hole to open ground。 She seemed somehow confident。 There occurred to her only
one way to act。
〃A little horse sense； as Dad would say；〃 she soliloquized； and then； when she
got him out of the brush； she stood thrilled and amazed。
〃Oh； what a wild； beautiful horse！ What a giant！ He's bigger than the King。
Oh； if Dad could see him！〃
The red stallion did not appear to be hurt。 The twitching of his muscles must
have been caused by the cactus spikes embedded in him。 There were drops of
blood all over one side。 Lucy thought she dared to try to pull these thorns
out。 She had never in her life been afraid of any horse。 Farlane； Holley； all
the riders； and her father； too； had tried to make her realize the danger in a
horse； sooner or later。 But Lucy could not help it； she was not afraid； she
believed that the meanest horse was actuated by natural fear of a man； she was
not a man and she had never handled a horse like a man。 This red stallion
showed hate of the black horse and the rope that connected them； he showed
some spirit at the repeated blasts of Sage King。 But he showed less fear of
her。
〃He has been a proud； wild stallion；〃 mused Lucy。 〃And he's now
brokenterribly brokenall but ruined。〃
Then she walked up to him naturally and spoke softly； and reached a hand for
his shoulder。
〃Whoa； Reddy。 Whoa now。 。 。 。 There。 That's a good fellow。 Why； I wouldn't
rope you or hit you。 I'm only a girl。〃
He drew up； made a single effort to jump； which she prevented； and then he
stood quivering； eying her； while she talked soothingly； and patted him and
looked at him in the way she had found infallible with most horses。 Lucy
believed horses were like people； or easier to get along with。 Presently she
gently pulled out one of the cactus spikes。 The horse flinched； but he stood。
Lucy was slow； careful； patient； and dexterous。 The cactus needles were loose
and easily removed or brushed off。 At length she got him free of them； and was
almost as proud as she was glad。 The horse had gradually dropped his head； he
was tired and his spirit was broken。
〃Now； what shall I do？〃 she queried。 〃I'll take the back trail of these
horses。 They certainly hadn't been here long before I saw them。 And the rider
may be close。 If not I'll take the horses home。〃
She slipped the noose from the stallion's head； leaving the hackamore； and；
coiling the loose lasso； she hung it over the pommel of the black's saddle。
Then she took up his bridle。
〃Come on；〃 she called。
The black followed her； and the stallion； still fast to him by the lasso Lucy
had left tied； trooped behind with bowed head。 Lucy was elated。 But Sage King
did not like the matter at all。 Lucy had to drop the black's bridle and catch
the King； and then ride back to lead the other again。
A broad trail marked the way the two horses had come； and it led off to the
left； toward where the monuments were thickest； and where the great sections
of wall stood； broken and battlemented。 Lucy was hard put to it to hold Sage
King； but the horses behind plodded along。 The black horse struck Lucy as
being an ugly； but a faithful and wonderful animal。 He understood everything。
Presently she tied the bridle she was leading him by to the end of her own
lasso； and thus let him drop back a few yards； which lessened the King's
fretting。
Intent on the trail； Lucy failed to note time or distance till the looming and
frowning monuments stood aloft before her。 What weird effect they had！ Each
might have been a colossal statue left there to mark the work of the ages。
Lucy realized that the whole vast valley had once been solid rock； just like
the monuments； and through the millions of years the softer parts had eroded
and weathered and blown awaygone with the great sea that had once been
there。 But the beauty； the solemnity； the majesty of these monuments
fascinated her most。 She passed the first one； a huge square butte； and then
the second； a ragged； thin； double shaft； and then went between two much
alike； reaching skyward in the shape of monstrous mittens。 She watched and
watched them； sparing a moment now and then to attend to the trail。 She
noticed that she was coming into a region of grass； and faint signs of water
in the draws。 She was getting high again； not many miles now from the wall of
rock。
All at once Sage King shied； and Lucy looked down to see a man lying on the
ground。 He lay inert。 But his eyes were opendark； staring eyes。 They moved。
And he called。 But Lucy could not understand him。
In a flash she leaped off the King。 She ran to the prostrate man dropped to
her knees。
〃Oh！〃 she cried。 His face was ghastly。 〃Oh！ are youyou badly hurt？〃
〃Lift memy head；〃 he said； faintly。
She raised his head。 What a strained； passionate； terrible gaze he bent upon
the horses。
〃Boy； they're minethe black an' the red！〃 he cried。
〃They surely must be；〃 replied Lucy。 〃Oh！ tell me。 Are you hurt？〃
〃Boy！ did you catch themfetch them backlookin' for me？〃
〃I sure did。〃
〃You caught…that red devilan' fetched himback to me？〃 went on the
wondering； faint voice。 〃Boyohboy！〃
He lifted a long； ragged arm and pulled Lucy down。 The action amazed her
equally as his passion of gratitude。 He might have been injured； but he had an
arm of iron。 Lucy was powerless。 She felt her face against hisand her breast
against his。 The pounding of his heart was like blows。 The first instant she
wanted to laugh； despite her pity。 Then the powerful armthe contact affected
her as nothing ever before。 Suppose this crippled rider had taken her for a
boyShe was not a boy！ She could not help being herself。 And no man had ever
put a hand on her。 Consciousness of this brought shame and anger。 She
struggled so violently that she freed herself。 And he lay back。
〃See herethat's no way to actto huga person；〃 she cried； with flaming
cheeks。
〃Boy； I〃
〃I'm NOT a boy。 I'm a girl。〃
〃What！〃
Lucy tore off her sombrero； which had been pulled far forward； and this
revealed her face fully； and her hair came tumbling down。 The rider gazed；
stupefied。 Then a faint tinge of red colored hi