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as if he could not realize that this young woman rider had given him a free
rein。 Perhaps one reason he disliked her had been always and everlastingly
that tight rein。 Like the wary horse he was he took to a canter； to try out
what his new freedom meant。
〃Say； what's the matter with you？〃 called Lucy； disdainfully。 〃Are you lazy？
Or don't you believe I can ride you？〃
Whereupon she dug him with her spurs。 Sage King snorted。 His action shifted
marvelously。 Thunder rolled from under his hoofs。 And he broke out of that
clattering roar into his fleet stride； where his hoof…beats were swift；
regular； rhythmic。
Lucy rode him with teeth and fists clenched； bending low。 After all； she
thought； it was no trick to ride him。 In that gait he was dangerous； for a
fall meant death； but he ran so smoothly that riding him was easy and
certainly glorious。 He went so fast that the wind blinded her。 The trail was
only a white streak in blurred gray。 She could not get her breath； the wind
seemed to whip the air away from her。 And then she felt the lessening of the
tremendous pace。 Sage King had run himself out and the miles were behind her。
Gradually her sight became clear； and as the hot and wet horse slowed down；
satisfied with his wild run； Lucy realized that she was up on the slope only a
few miles from home。 Suddenly she thought she saw something dark stir behind a
sage…bush just ahead。 Before she could move a hand at the bridle Sage King
leaped with a frantic snort。 It was a swerving； nimble； tremendous bound。 He
went high。 Lucy was unseated； but somehow clung on； and came down with him；
finding the saddle。 And it seemed； while in the air； she saw a long； snaky；
whipping loop of rope shoot out and close just where Sage King's legs had
been。
She screamed。 The horse broke and ran。 Lucy； righting herself； looked back to
see Joel Creech holding a limp lasso。 He had tried to rope the King。
The blood of her father was aroused in Lucy。 She thought of the horsenot
herself。 If the King had not been so keen…sighted； so swift； he would have
gone down with a broken leg。 Lucy never in her life had been so furious。
Joel shook his fist at her and yelled； 〃I'd 'a' got youon any other hoss！〃
She did not reply； though she had to fight herself to keep from pulling her
gun and shooting at him。 She guided the running horse back into the trail；
rapidly leaving Creech out of sight。
〃He's gone crazy； that's sure；〃 said Lucy。 〃And he means me harm！〃
She ran the King clear up to the corrals； and he was still going hard when she
turned down the lane to the barns。 Then she pulled him in。
Farlane was there to meet her。 She saw no other riders and was glad。
〃Wal； Miss Lucy； the King sure looks good；〃 said Farlane； as she jumped off
and flung him the bridle。 〃He's just had about right； judgin'。 。 。 。 Say；
girl； you're all pale！ Oh； say； you wasn't scared of the King； now？〃
〃No；〃 replied Lucy； panting。
〃Wal； what's up； then？〃 The rider spoke in an entirely different voice； and
into his clear； hazel eyes a little dark gleam shot。
〃Joel Creech waylaid me out in the sageandand tried to catch me。〃 Lucy
checked herself。 It might not do to tell how Joel had tried to catch her。
〃He did？ An' you on the King！〃 Farlane laughed； as if relieved。 〃Wal； he's
tried thet before。 Miss Lucy。 But when you was up on the graythet shows
Joel's crazy； sure。〃
〃He sure is。 Farlane； II am mad！〃
〃Wal； cool off； Miss Lucy。 It ain't nothin' to git set up about。 An' don't
tell the old man。〃
〃Why not？〃 demanded Lucy。
〃Wal； because he's in a queer sort of bad mood lately。 It wouldn't be safe。 He
hates them Creeches。 So don't tell him。〃
〃All right； Farlane； I won't。 Don't you tell； either；〃 replied Lucy； soberly。
〃Sure I'll keep mum。 But if Joel doesn't watch out I'll put a crimp in him
myself。〃
Lucy hurried away down the lane and entered the house without meeting any one。
In her room she changed her clothes and lay down to rest and think。
Strangely enough； Lucy might never have encountered Joel Creech out in the
sage； for all the thought she gave him。 Her mind was busy with the crippled
rider。 Who was he？ Where was he from？ What strange passion he had shown over
the recovery of that wonderful red horse！ Lucy could not forget the feeling of
his iron arm when he held her in a kind of frenzied gratitude。 A wild upland
rider； living only for a wild horse！ How like Indians some of these riders！
Yet this fellow had seemed different from most of the uncouth riders she had
known。 He spoke better。 He appeared to have had some little schooling。 Lucy
did not realize that she was interested in him。 She thought she was sorry for
him and interested in the stallion。 She began to compare Wildfire with Sage
King； and if she remembered rightly Wildfire； even in his disheveled state；
had appeared a worthy rival of the King。 What would Bostil say at sight of
that flame…colored stallion？ Lucy thrilled。
Later she left her room to see if the hour was opportune for her plan to make
up a pack of supplies for the rider。 Her aunt was busy in the kitchen； and
Bostil had not come in。 Lucy took advantage of the moment to tie up a pack and
carry it to her room。 Somehow the task pleased her。 She recalled the lean face
of the rider。 And that recalled his ragged appearance。 Why not pack up an
outfit of clothes？ Bostil had a stock…room full of such accessories for his
men。 Then Lucy； glowing with the thought； hurried to Bostil's stock…room； and
with deft hands and swift judgment selected an outfit for the rider； even down
to a comb and razor。 All this she carried quickly to her room； where in her
thoughtfulness she added a bit of glass from a broken mirror； and soap and a
towel。 Then she tied up a second pack。
Bostil did not come home to supper； a circumstance that made Lucy's aunt
cross。 They ate alone； and； waiting awhile； were rather late in clearing away
the table。 After this Lucy had her chance in the dusk of early evening； and
she carried both packs way out into the sage and left them near the trail。
〃Hope a coyote doesn't come along；〃 she said。 That possibility； however； did
not worry her as much as getting those packs up on the King。 How in the world
would she ever do it？
She hurried back to the house； stealthily keeping to the shadow of the
cottonwoods； for she would have faced an embarrassing situation if she had met
her father； even had he been in a good humor。 And she reached the sitting…room
unobserved。 The lamps had been lighted and a log blazed on the hearth。 She was
reading when Bostil entered。
〃Hello； Lucy！〃 he said。
He looked tired； and Lucy knew he had been drinking； because when he had been
he never offered to kiss her。 The strange； somber shade was still on his face；
but it brightened somewhat at sight of her。 Lucy greeted him as always。
〃Farlane tells me you handled the King greatbetter 'n Van has worked him
lately；〃 said Bostil。 〃But don't tell him I told you。〃
That was sweet praise from Farlane。 〃Oh； Dad； it could hardly be true；〃
expostulated Lucy。 〃Both you and Farlane are a little sore at Van now。〃
〃I'm a lot sore；〃 replied Bostil； gruffly。
〃Anyway； how did Farlane know how I handled Sage King？〃 queried Lucy。
〃Wal； every hair on a hoss talks to Farlane； so Holley says。 。 。 。 Lucy； you
take the King out every day for a while。 Ride him now an' watch out！ Joel
Creech was in the village to…day。 He sure sneaked when he seen me。 He's up to
some mischief。〃
Lucy did not want to lie and she did not know what to say。 Presently Bostil
bade her good night。 Lucy endeavored to read； but her mind continually
wandered back to the adventure of the day。
Next morning she had difficulty in concealing her impatience； but luck favored
her。 Bostil was not in evidence； and Farlane； for once； could spare no more
time than it took to saddle Sage King。 Lucy rode out into the sage； pretty
sure that no one watched her。
She had hidden the packs near the tallest bunch of greasewood along the trail；
and when she halted behind it she had no fear of being seen from the corrals。
She got the packs。 The light one was not hard to tie back of the saddle； but
the large one was a very different matter。 She decided to carry it in front。
There was a good…sized rock near； upon which she stepped； leading Sage King
alongside； and after an exceedingly trying moment she got up； holding the
pack。 For a wonder Sage King behaved well。
Then she started off； holding the pack across her lap； and she tried the
King's several gaits to see which one would lend itself more comfortably to
the task before her。 The trouble was that Sage King had no slow gait； even his
walk was fast。 And Lucy was compelled to hold him into that。 She wanted to
hurry； but that seemed out of the question。 She tried to keep from gazing out
toward the monuments； because they were so far away。
How would she find the crippled rider？ It flashed into her mind that she might
find him dead； and this seemed horrible。 But her common sense persuaded her
that she would find him alive and better。 The pack was hard to hold； and Sage
King fretted at the monotonous walk。 The hours dragged。 The sun grew hot。 And