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stinging cut from the lasso made him come to a stand。 Plainly the rider held
the mastery。
〃Dad！〃 called Lucy； faintly。
Bostil went forward； close； while the rider held Wildfire。 Lucy was as
wan…faced as a flower by moonlight。 Her eyes were dark with emotions； fear
predominating。 Then for Bostil the half of his heart that was human reasserted
itself。 Lucy was only a girl now； and weakening。 Her fear； her pitiful little
smile； as if she dared not hope for her father's approval yet could not help
it； touched Bostil to the quick； and he opened his arms。 Lucy slid down into
them。
〃Lucy； girl； you've won the King's race an' double…crossed your poor old dad！〃
〃Oh； Dad； I never knewI never dreamed Wildfirewould jump the King；〃 Lucy
faltered。 〃I couldn't hold him。 He was terrible。 。 。 。 It made me sick。 。 。 。
Daddy； tell me Van wasn't hurtor the King！〃
〃The hoss's all right an' so's Van；〃 replied Bostil。 〃Don't cry； Lucy。 It was
a fool trick you pulled off； but you did it great。 By Gad！ you sure was ridin'
thet red devil。 。 。 。 An' say； it's all right with me！〃
Lucy did not faint then； but she came near it。 Bostil put her down and led her
through the lines of admiring Indians and applauding riders； and left her with
the women。
When he turned again he was in time to see the strange rider mount Wildfire。
It was a swift and hazardous mount； the stallion being in the air。 When he
came down he tore the turf and sent it flying； and when he shot up again he
was doubled in a red knot； bristling with fiery hair； a furious wild beast；
mad to throw the rider。 Bostil never heard as wild a scream uttered by a
horse。 Likewise he had never seen so incomparable a horseman as this stranger。
Indians and riders alike thrilled at a sight which was after their own hearts。
The rider had hooked his long spurs under the horse and now appeared a part of
him。 He could not be dislodged。 This was not a bucking mustang； but a fierce；
powerful； fighting stallion。 No doubt； thought Bostil； this fight took place
every time the rider mounted his horse。 It was the sort of thing riders loved。
Most of them would not own a horse that would not pitch。 Bostil presently
decided； however； that in the case of this red stallion no rider in his right
senses would care for such a fight； simply because of the extraordinary
strengths； activity； and ferocity of the stallion。
The riders were all betting the horse would throw the stranger。 And Bostil；
seeing the gathering might of Wildfire's momentum； agreed with them。 No
horseman could stick on that horse。 Suddenly Wildfire tripped in the sage； and
went sprawling in the dust； throwing his rider ahead。 Both man and beast were
quick to rise； but the rider had a foot in the stirrup before Wildfire was
under way。 Then the horse plunged； ran free； came circling back； and slowly
gave way to the rider's control。 Those few moments of frenzied activity had
brought out the foam and the sweatWildfire was wet。 The man pulled him in
before Bostil and dismounted。
〃Sometimes I ride him。 then sometimes I don't；〃 he said； with a smile。
Bostil held out his hand。 He liked this rider。 He would have liked the frank
face； less hard than that of most riders； and the fine； dark eyes； straight
and steady； even if their possessor had not come with the open sesame to
Bostil's regarda grand； wild horse； and the nerve to ride him。
〃Wal； you rode him longer 'n any of us figgered 〃 said Bostil； heartily
shaking the man's hand。 〃I'm Bostil。 Glad to meet you。〃
〃My name's SloneLin Slone；〃 replied the rider； frankly。 〃I'm a wild…horse
hunter an' hail from Utah。〃
〃Utah？ How'd you ever get over？ Wal； you've got a grand hossan' you put a
grand rider up on him in the race。 。 。 。 My girl Lucy〃
Bostil hesitated。 His mind was running swiftly。 Back of his thoughts gathered
the desire and the determination to get possession of this horse Wildfire。 He
had forgotten what he might have said to this stranger under different
circumstances。 He looked keenly into Slone's face and saw no fear； no
subterfuge。 The young man was honest。
〃Bostil； I chased this wild horse days an' weeks an' months； hundreds of
milesacross the canyon an' the river〃
〃No！〃 interrupted Bostil； blankly。
〃Yes。 I'll tell you how later。 。 。 。 Out here somewhere I caught Wildfire；
broke him as much as he'll ever be broken。 He played me out an' got away。 Your
girl rode alongsaved my horsean' saved my life； too。 I was in bad shape
for days。 But I got well an'an' then she wanted me to let her run Wildfire
in the big race。 I couldn't refuse。 。 。 。 An' it would have been a great race
but for the unlucky accident to Sage King。 I'm sorry； sir。〃
〃Slone； it jarred me some； thet disappointment。 But it's over；〃 replied
Bostil。 〃An' so thet's how Lucy found her hoss。 She sure was mysterious。 。 。 。
Wal； wal。〃 Bostil became aware of others behind him。 〃Holley； shake hands with
Slone； hoss…wrangler out of Utah。 。 。 。 You； too； Cal Blinn。 。 。 。 An'
Macomberan' Wetherby； meet my friend hereyoung Slone。 。 。 。 An'； Cordts；
shake hands with a feller thet owns a grand hoss！〃
Bostil laughed as he introduced the horse…thief to Slone。 The others laughed；
too； even Cordts joining in。 There was much of the old rider daredevil spirit
left in Bostil； and it interested and amused him to see Cordts and Slone meet。
Assuredly Slone had heard of the noted stealer of horses。 The advantage was
certainly on Cordts's side； for he was good…natured and pleasant while Slone
stiffened； paling slightly as he faced about to acknowledge the introduction。
〃Howdy； Slone；〃 drawled Cordts； with hand outstretched。 〃I sure am glad to
meet yuh。 I'd like to trade the Sage King for this red stallion！〃
A roar of laughter greeted this sally； all but Bostil and Slone joining in。
The joke was on Bostil； and he showed it。 Slone did not even smile。
〃Howdy； Cordts；〃 he replied。 〃I'm glad to meet youso I'll know you when I
see you again。〃
〃Wal； we're all good fellers to…day；〃 interposed Bostil。 〃An' now let's ride
home an' eat。 Slone； you come with me。〃
The group slowly mounted the slope where the horses waited。 Macomber；
Wetherby； Burthwait； Blinnall Bostil's friends proffered their felicitations
to the young rider； and all were evidently prepossessed with him。
The sun was low in the west； purple shades were blotting out the gold lights
down the valley； the day of the great races was almost done。 Indians were
still scattered here and there in groups； others were turning out the
mustangs； and the majority were riding and walking with the crowd toward the
village。
Bostil observed that Cordts had hurried ahead of the group and now appeared to
be saying something emphatic to Dick Sears and Hutchinson。 Bostil heard Cordts
curse。 Probably he was arraigning the sullen Sears。 Cordts had acted first
ratehad lived up to his word； as Bostil thought he would do。 Cordts and
Hutchinson mounted their horses and rode off； somewhat to the left of the
scattered crowd。 But Sears remained behind。 Bostil thought this strange and
put it down to the surliness of the fellow； who had lost on the races。 Bostil；
wishing Sears would get out of his sight； resolved never to make another
blunder like inviting horse…thieves to a race。
All the horses except Wildfire stood in a bunch back on the bench。 Sears
appeared to be fussing with the straps on his saddle。 And Bostil could not
keep his glance from wandering back to gloat over Wildfire's savage grace and
striking size。
Suddenly there came a halt in the conversation of the men； a curse in Holley's
deep voice； a violent split in the group。 Bostil wheeled to see Sears in a
menacing position with two guns leveled low。
〃Don't holler！〃 he called。 〃An' don't move！〃
〃What 'n the hl now； Sears？〃 demanded Bostil。
〃I'll bore you if you movethet's what！〃 replied Sears。 His eyes； bold；
steely； with a glint that Bostil knew； vibrated as he held in sight all points
before him。 A vicious little sand…rattlesnake about to strike！
〃Holley； turn yer back！〃 ordered Sears。
The old rider； who stood foremost of the group' instantly obeyed； with hands
up。 He took no chances here； for he alone packed a gun。 With swift steps Sears
moved； pulled Holley's gun； flung it aside into the sage。
〃Sears； it ain't a hold…up！〃 expostulated Bostil。 The act seemed too bold； too
wild even for Dick Sears。
〃Ain't it？〃 scoffed Sears； malignantly。 〃Bostil； I was after the King。 But I
reckon I'll git the hoss thet beat him！〃
Bostil's face turned dark…blood color and his neck swelled。 〃By Gawd； Sears！
You ain't a…goin' to steal this boy's hoss！〃
〃Shut up！〃 hissed the horse…thief。 He pushed a gun close to Bostil。 〃I've
always laid fer you！ I'm achin' to bore you now。 I would but fer scarin' this
hoss。 If you yap again I'll KILL YOU； anyhow； an' take a chance！〃
All the terrible hate and evil and cruelty and deadliness of his kind burned
in his eyes and stung in his voice。
〃Sears； if it's my horse you want you needn't kill Bostil；〃 spoke up Slone。
The contrast of his cool； quiet voice eased the terrible strain。
〃Lead him round hyar！〃 snapped Sears。
Wildfire appeared more shy of the horses back of him