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King fretted at the monotonous walk。 The hours dragged。 The sun grew hot。 And
it was noon； almost； when she reached the point where she cut off the trail to
the left。 Thereafter； with the monuments standing ever higher； and the
distance perceptibly lessening； the minutes passed less tediously。
At length she reached the zone of lofty rocks； and found them different； how；
she could not tell。 She rode down among them； and was glad when she saw the
huge mittensher landmarks。 At last she espied the green…bordered wash and
the few cedar…trees。 Then a horse blazed red against the sage and another
shone black。 That sight made Lucy thrill。 She rode on； eager now； but moved by
the strangeness of the experience。
Before she got quite close to the cedars she saw a man。 He took a few slow
steps out of the shade。 His back was bent。 Lucy recognized the rider； and in
her gladness to see him on his feet she cried out。 Then； when Sage King
reached the spot； Lucy rolled the pack off to the ground。
〃Oh； that was a job！〃 she cried。
The rider looked up with eyes that seemed keener； less staring than she
remembered。 〃You came？ 。 。 。 I was afraid you wouldn't；〃 he said。
〃Sure I came。 。 。 。 You're betternot badly hurt？〃 she said； gravely； 〃II'm
so glad。〃
〃I've got a crimp in my back； that's all。〃
Lucy was quick to see that after the first glance at her he was all eyes for
Sage King。 She laughed。 How like a rider！ She watched him； knowing that
presently he would realize what a horse she was riding。 She slipped off and
threw the bridle； and then； swiftly untying the second pack； she laid it down。
The rider； with slow； painful steps and bent back； approached Sage King and
put a lean； strong； brown hand on him； and touched him as if he wished to feel
if he were real。 Then he whistled softly。 When he turned to Lucy his eyes
shone with a beautiful light。
〃It's Sage King； Bostil's favorite；〃 said Lucy。
〃Sage King！ 。 。 。 He looks it。 。 。 。 But never a wild horse？〃
〃No。〃
〃A fine horse；〃 replied the rider。 〃Of course he can run？〃 This last held a
note of a rider's jealousy。
Lucy laughed。 〃Run！ 。 。 。 The King is Bostil's favorite。 He can run away from
any horse in the uplands。〃
〃I'll bet you Wildfire can beat him；〃 replied the rider； with a dark glance。
〃Come on！〃 cried Lucy； daringly。
Then the rider and girl looked more earnestly at each other。 He smiled in a
way that changed his facebrightened out the set hardness。
〃I reckon I'll have to crawl；〃 he said； ruefully。 〃But maybe I can ride in a
few daysif you'll come back again。〃
His remark brought to Lucy the idea that of course she would hardly see this
rider again after to…day。 Even if he went to the Ford； which event was
unlikely； he would not remain there long。 The sensation of blankness puzzled
her； and she felt an unfamiliar confusion。
〃II've brought yousome things；〃 she said； pointing to the larger pack。
〃Grub； you mean？〃
〃No。〃
〃That was all I asked you for； miss；〃 he said； somewhat stiffly。
〃Yes； butII thought〃 Lucy became unaccountably embarrassed。 Suppose this
strange rider would be offended。 〃Your clothes were so torn。 。 。 。 And no
wonder you were thrownin those boots！ 。 。 。 So I thought I'd〃
〃You thought I needed clothes as bad as grub；〃 he said； bitterly。 〃I reckon
that's so。〃
His look； more than his tone； cut Lucy； and involuntarily she touched his arm。
〃Oh； you won't refuse to take them！ Please don't！〃
At her touch a warmth came into his face。 〃Take them？ I should smile I will。〃
He tried to reach down to lift the pack； but as it was obviously painful for
him to bend； Lucy intercepted him。
〃But you've had no breakfast；〃 she protested。 〃Why not eat before you open
that pack？〃
〃Nope。 I'm not hungry。 。 。 。 Maybe I'll eat a little； after I dress up。〃 He
started to walk away； then turned。 〃Miss Bostil； have you been so good to
every wanderin' rider you happened to run across？〃
〃Good！〃 she exclaimed； flushing。 She dropped her eyes before his。 〃Nonsense。 。
。 。 Anyway； you're the first wandering rider I ever metlike this。〃
〃Well； you're good；〃 he replied； with emotion。 Then he walked away with slow；
stiff steps and disappeared behind the willows in the little hollow。
Lucy uncoiled the rope on her saddle and haltered Sage King on the best grass
near at hand。 Then she opened the pack of supplies； thinking the while that
she must not tarry here long。
〃But on the King I can run back like the wind；〃 she mused。
The pack contained dried fruits and meat and staples； also an assortment of
good things to eat that were of a perishable nature； already much the worse
for the long ride。 She spread all this out in the shade of a cedar。 The
utensils were fewtwo cups； two pans； and a tiny pot。 She gathered wood； and
arranged it for a fire； so that the rider could start as soon as he came back。
He seemed long in coming。 Lucy waited； yet still he did not return。 Finally
she thought of the red stallion； and started off down the wash to take a look
at him。 He was grazing。 He had lost some of the dirt and dust and the
bedraggled appearance。 When he caught sight of her he lifted his head high and
whistled。 How wild he looked！ And his whistle was shrill； clear； strong。 Both
the other horses answered it。 Lucy went on closer to Wildfire。 She was
fascinated now。
〃If he doesn't know me！〃 she cried。 Never had she been so pleased。 She had
expected every sign of savageness on his part； and certainly had not intended
to go near him。 But Wildfire did not show fear or hate in his recognition。
Lucy went directly to him and got a hand on him。 Wildfire reared a little and
shook a little； but this disappeared presently under her touch。 He held his
head very high and watched her with wonderful eyes。 Gradually she drew his
head down。 Standing before him； she carefully and slowly changed the set of
the hackamore； which had made a welt on his nose。 It seemed to have been her
good fortune that every significant move she had made around this stallion had
been to mitigate his pain。 Lucy believed he knew this as well as she knew it。
Her theory； an often disputed one； was that horses were as intelligent as
human beings and had just the same fears； likes； and dislikes。 Lucy knew she
was safe when she untied the lasso from the strong root where she had fastened
it； and led the stallion down the wash to a pool of water。 And she stood
beside him with a hand on his shoulder while he bent his head to sniff at the
water。 He tasted it； plainly with disgust。 It was stagnant water； full of
vermin。 But finally he drank。 Lucy led him up the wash to another likely
place； and tied him securely。
When she got back to the camp in the cedars the rider was there； on his knees；
kindling the fire。 His clean…shaved face and new apparel made him vastly
different。 He was young； and； had he not been so gaunt。 he would have been
fine…looking； Lucy thought。
〃Wildfire remembered me；〃 Lucy burst out。 〃He wasn't a bit scary。 Let me
handle him。 Followed me to water。〃
〃He's taken to you；〃 replied the rider； seriously。 〃I've heard of the like；
but not so quick。 Was he in a bad fix when you got to him yesterday？〃
Lucy explained briefly。
〃Aha！ 。 。 。 If that red devil has any love in him I'll never get it。 I wish I
could have done so much for him。 But always when he sees me he'll remember。〃
Lucy saw that the rider was in difficulties。 He could not bend his back； and
evidently it pained him to try。 His brow was moist。
〃Let me do that；〃 she said。
〃Thanks。 It took about all my strength to get into this new outfit；〃 he said；
relinquishing； his place to Lucy。
When she looked up from her task； presently； he was sitting in the shade of
the cedar； watching her。 He had the expression of a man who hardly believed
what he saw。
〃Did you have any trouble gettin' away； without tellin'about me？〃 he asked。
〃No。 But I sure had a job with those packs；〃 she replied。
〃You must be a wonder with a horse。〃
As far as vanity was concerned Lucy had only one weaknessand he had touched
upon it。
〃Well； Dad and Holley and Farlane argue much about me。 Still； I guess they all
agree I can ride。〃
〃Holley an' Farlane are riders？〃 he questioned。
〃Yes； Dad's right…hand men。〃
〃Your dad hires many riders； I supposed？〃
〃Sure I never heard of him turning any rider down； at least not without a
try。〃
〃I wonder if he would give me a job？〃
Lucy glanced up quickly。 The idea surprised herpleased her。 〃In a minute；〃
she replied。 〃And he'd be grand to you。 You see； he'd have an eye for
Wildfire。〃
The rider nodded his head as if he understood how that would be。
〃And of course you'd never sell nor trade Wildfire？〃 went on Lucy。
The rider's smile was sad； but it was conclusive。
〃Then you'd better stay away from Bostil；〃 returned Lucy； shortly。
He remained silent； and Lucy； busy about the campfire； did not speak again
till the simple fare was ready。 Then she spread a tarpaulin in the shade。
〃I'm pretty hungry myself；〃 she said。 〃But I don't suppose I know what hunger
is。〃
〃After a while a fellow loses the feelin' of hunger；〃 he replied。 〃I reckon
it'll come back quick。 。 。 。 This all look