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Holley's face appeared above the rude sill。 It was pale and grave； with the
hawk eyes like glass。 〃It ain't so awful early；〃 he said。 〃Listen； boss。〃
Bostil halted in the act of pulling on a boot。 He looked at his man while he
listened。 The still air outside seemed filled with low boom； like thunder at a
distance。 Bostil tried to look astounded。
〃Hell！ 。 。 。 It's the Colorado！ She's boomin'！〃
〃Reckon it's hell all rightfor Creech；〃 replied Holley。 〃Boss； why didn't
you fetch them hosses over？〃
Bostil's face darkened。 He was a bad man to opposeto question at times。
〃Holley； you're sure powerful anxious about Creech。 Are you his friend？〃
〃Naw！ I've little use fer Creech；〃 replied Holley。 〃An' you know thet。 But I
hold for his hosses as I would any man's。〃
〃A…huh！ An' what's your kick？〃
〃Nothin'except you could have fetched them over before the flood come down。
That's all。〃
The old horse…trader end his right…hand rider looked at each other for a
moment in silence。 They understood each other。 Then Bostil returned to the
task of pulling on wet boots and Holley went away。
Bostil opened his door and stepped outside。 The eastern ramparts of the desert
were bright red with the rising sun。 With the night behind him and the morning
cool and bright and beautiful； Bostil did not suffer a pang nor feel a regret。
He walked around under the cottonwoods where the mocking…birds were singing。
The shrill； screeching bray of a burro split the morning stillness； and with
that the sounds of the awakening village drowned that sullen； dreadful boom of
the river。 Bostil went in to breakfast。
He encountered Lucy in the kitchen； and he did not avoid her。 He could tell
from her smiling greeting that he seemed to her his old self again。 Lucy wore
an apron and she had her sleeves rolled up； showing round； strong； brown arms。
Somehow to Bostil she seemed different。 She had been pretty； but now she was
more than that。 She was radiant。 Her blue eyes danced。 She looked excited。 She
had been telling her aunt something； and that worthy woman appeared at once
shocked and delighted。 But Bostil's entrance had caused a mysterious break in
everything that had been going on； except the preparation of the morning meal。
〃Now I rode in on some confab or other； that's sure；〃 said Bostil；
good…naturedly。
〃You sure did； Dad；〃 replied Lucy； with a bright smile。
〃Wal； let me sit in the game；〃 he rejoined。
〃Dad； you can't even ante；〃 said Lucy。
〃Jane； what's this kid up to？〃 asked Bostil； turning to his sister。
〃The good Lord only knows！〃 replied Aunt Jane； with a sigh。
〃Kid？ 。 。 。 See here； Dad； I'm eighteen long ago。 I'm grown up。 I can do as I
please； go where I like； and anything。 。 。 。 Why； Dad； I could getmarried。〃
〃Haw！ haw！〃 laughed Bostil。 〃Jane； hear the girl。〃
〃I hear her； Bostil；〃 sighed Aunt Jane。
〃Wal； Lucy； I'd just like to see you fetch some fool love…sick rider around
when I'm feelin' good；〃 said Bostil。
Lucy laughed； but there was a roguish； daring flash in her eyes。 〃Dad； you do
seem to have all the young fellows scared。 Some day maybe one will ride
alonga rider like you used to bethat nobody could bluff。 。 。 。 And he can
have me！〃
〃A…huh！ 。 。 。 Lucy； are you in fun？〃
Lucy tossed her bright head； but did not answer。
〃Jane； what's got into her？〃 asked Bostil； appealing to his sister。
〃Bostil； she's in fun； of course；〃 declared Aunt Jane。 〃Still； at that；
there's some sense in what she says。 Come to your breakfast； now。〃
Bostil took his seat at the table； glad that he could once more be amiable
with his women…folk。 〃Lucy； to…morrow'll be the biggest day Bostil's Ford ever
seen；〃 he said。
〃It sure will be； Dad。 The biggest SURPRISING day the Ford ever had；〃 replied
Lucy。
〃Surprisin'？〃
〃Yes； Dad。〃
〃Who's goin' to get surprised？〃
〃Everybody。〃
Bostil said to himself that he had been used to Lucy's banter； but during his
moody spell of days past he had forgotten how to take her or else she was
different。
〃Brackton tells me you've entered a hoss against the field。〃
〃It's an open race； isn't it？〃
〃Open as the desert； Lucy；〃 he replied。 〃What's this hoss Wildfire you've
entered？〃
〃Wouldn't you like to know？〃 taunted Lucy。
〃If he's as good as his name you might be in at the finish。 。 。 。 But； Lucy；
my dear； talkin' good sense nowyou ain't a…goin' to go up on some unbroken
mustang in this big race？〃
〃Dad； I'm going to ride a horse。〃
〃But； Lucy； ain't it a risk you'll be takin'all for fun？〃
〃Fun！ 。。。 I'm in dead earnest。〃
Bostil liked the look of her then。 She had paled a little； her eyes blazed；
she was intense。 His question had brought out her earnestness； and straightway
Bostil became thoughtful。 If Lucy had been a boy she would have been the
greatest rider on the uplands； and even girl as she was； superbly mounted； she
would have been dangerous in any race。
〃Wal； I ain't afraid of your handlin' of a hoss； 〃 he said； soberly。 〃An' as
long as you're in earnest I won't stop you。 But； Lucy； no bettin'。 I won't let
you gamble。〃
〃Not even with you？〃 she coaxed。
Bostil stared at the girl。 What had gotten into her？ 〃What'll you bet？〃 he；
queried； with blunt curiosity。
〃Dad； I'll go you a hundred dollars in gold that I finish one twothree。〃
Bostil threw back his head to laugh heartily。 What a chip of the old block she
was！ 〃Child； there's some fast hosses that'll be back of the King。 You'd be
throwin' away money。〃
Blue fire shone in his daughter's eyes。 She meant business； all right； and
Bostil thrilled with pride in her。
〃Dad； I'll bet you two hundred； even； that I beat the King！〃 she flashed。
〃Wal； of all the nerve！〃 ejaculated Bostil。 〃No； I won't take you up。 Reckon I
never before turned down an even bet。 Understand； Lucy； ridin' in the race is
enough for you。〃
〃All right； Dad；〃 replied Lucy； obediently。
At that juncture Bostil suddenly shoved back his plate and turned his face to
the open door。 〃Don't I hear a runnin' hoss？〃
Aunt Jane stopped the noise she was making； and Lucy darted to the door。 Then
Bostil heard the sharp； rhythmic hoof…beats he recognized。 They shortened to
clatter and poundthen ceased somewhere out in front of the house。
〃It's the King with Van up；〃 said Lucy； from the door。 〃Dad； Van's jumped
offhe's coming in 。 。 。 he's running。 Something has happened。 。 。 。 There
are other horses comingridersIndians。〃
Bostil knew what was coming and prepared himself。 Rapid footsteps sounded
without。
〃Hello； Miss Lucy！ Where's Bostil？〃
A lean； supple rider appeared before the door。 It was Van； greatly excited。
〃Come in； boy；〃 said Bostil。 〃What're you flustered about？〃
Van strode in； spurs jangling； cap in hand。 〃Boss； there'sa sixty…foot
raisein the river！〃 Van panted。
〃Oh！〃 cried Lucy； wheeling toward her father。
〃Wal； Van； I reckon I knowed thet；〃 replied Bostil。 〃Mebbe I'm gettin' old；
but I can still hear。 。 。 。 Listen。〃
Lucy tiptoed to the door and turned her head sidewise and slowly bowed it till
she stiffened。 Outside were； sounds of birds and horses and men； but when a
lull came it quickly filled with a sullen； low boom。
〃Highest flood weever seen；〃 said Van。
〃You've been down？〃 queried Bostil； sharply。
〃Not to the river；〃 replied Van。 〃I went as far aswhere the gulch openson
the bluff。 There was a string of Navajos goin' down。 An' some comin' up。 I
stayed there watchin' the flood； an' pretty soon Somers come up the trail with
Blakesley an' Brack an' some riders。 。 。 。 An' Somers hollered out； 'The
boat's gone！'〃
〃Gone！〃 exclaimed Bostil； his loud cry showing consternation。
〃Oh； Dad！ Oh； Van！〃 cried Lucy； with eyes wide and lips parted。
〃Sure she's gone。 An' the whole place down therewhere the willows was an'
the sand…barit was deep under water。〃
〃What will become of Creech's horses？〃 asked Lucy； breathlessly。
〃My God！ ain't it a shame！〃 went on Bostil； and he could have laughed aloud at
his hypocrisy。 He felt Lucy's blue eyes riveted upon his face。
〃Thet's what we all was sayin'；〃 went on Van。 〃While we was watchin' the awful
flood an' listenin' to the deep bumbumbum of rollin' rocks some one seen
Creech an' two Piutes leadin' the hosses up thet trail where the slide was。 We
counted the hossesnine。 An' we saw the roan shine blue in the sunlight。〃
〃Piutes with Creech！〃 exclaimed Bostil； the deep gloom in his eyes lighting。
〃By all thet's lucky！ Mebbe them Indians can climb the hosses out of thet hole
an' find water an' grass enough。〃
〃Mebbe；〃 replied Van； doubtfully。 〃Sure them Piutes could if there's a chance。
But there ain't any grass。〃
〃It won't take much grass travelin' by night。〃
〃So lots of the boys say。 But the Navajos they shook their heads。 An' Farlane
an' Holley； why； they jest held up their hands。〃
〃With them Indians Creech has a chance to get his hosses out；〃 declared
Bostil。 He was sure of his sincerity； but he was not certain that his
sincerity was not the birth of a strange； sudden hope。 And then he was able to
meet the eyes of his daughter。 That was his supreme test。
〃Oh； Dad； why； why didn't you hurry Creech's horses over？〃 said Lucy； with her
tears f