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！
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 than of the men。 Slone
was able to lead him； however； to within several paces of Sears。 Then Slone
dropped the reins。 He still held a lasso which was loosely coiled； and the
loop dropped in front of him as he backed away。
Sears sheathed the left…hand gun。 Keeping the group covered with the other； he
moved backward； reaching for the hanging reins。 Wildfire snorted； appeared
about to jump。 But Sears got the reins。 Bostil； standing like a stone； his
companions also motionless； could not help but admire the daring of this
upland horse…thief。 How was he to mount that wild stallion？ Sears was noted
for two qualitieshis nerve before men and his skill with horses。 Assuredly
he would not risk an ordinary mount。 Wildfire began to suspect Searsto look
at him instead of the other horses。 Then quick as a cat Sears vaulted into the
saddle。 Wildfire snorted and lifted his forefeet in a lunge that meant he
would bolt。
Sears in vaulting up had swung the gun aloft。 He swept it down； but
waveringly； for Wildfire had begun to rear。
Bostil saw how fatal that single instant would have been for Sears if he or
Holley had a gun。
Something whistled。 Bostil saw the leap of Slone's lassothe curling； snaky
dart of the noose which flew up to snap around Sears。 The rope sung taut。
Sears was swept bodily clean from the saddle； to hit the ground in sodden
impact。
Almost swifter than Bostil's sight was the action of Sloneflashing byin
the airhimself on the plunging horse。 Sears shot once； twice。 Then Wildfire
bolted as his rider whipped the lasso round the horn。 Sears； half rising； was
jerked ten feet。 An awful shriek was throttled in his throat。
A streak of dust on the slopea tearing； parting line in the sage！
Bostil stood amazed。 The red stallion made short plunges。 Slone reached low
for the tripping reins。 When he straightened up in the saddle Wildfire broke
wildly into a run。
It was characteristic of Holley that at this thrilling； tragic instant he
walked over into the sage to pick up his gun。
〃Throwed a gun on me； got the drop； an' pitched mine away！〃 muttered Holley；
in disgust。 The way he spoke meant that he was disgraced。
〃My Gawd！ I was scared thet Sears would get the hoss！〃 rolled out Bostil。
Holley thought of his gun； Bostil thought of the splendid horse。 The thoughts
were characteristic of these riders。 The other men； however； recovering from a
horror…broken silence； burst out in acclaim of Slone's feat。
〃Dick Sears's finish！ Roped by a boy rider！〃 exclaimed Cal Blinn； fervidly。
〃Bostil； that rider is worthy of his horse；〃 said Wetherby。 〃I think Sears
would have bored you。 I saw his finger pressingpressing on the trigger。 Men
like Sears can't help but pull at that stage。〃
〃Thet was the quickest trick I ever seen；〃 declared Macomber。
They watched Wildfire run down the slope； out into the valley； with a streak
of rising dust out behind。 They all saw when there ceased to be that peculiar
rising of dust。 Wildfire appeared to shoot ahead at greater speed。 Then he
slowed up。 The rider turned him and faced back toward the group； coming at a
stiff gallop。 Soon Wildfire breasted the slope； and halted； snorting； shaking
before the men。 The lasso was still trailing out behind； limp and sagging。
There was no weight upon it now。
Bostil strode slowly ahead。 He sympathized with the tension that held Slone；
he knew why the rider's face was gray； why his lips only moved mutely； why
there was horror in the dark； strained eyes； why the lean； strong hands；
slowly taking up the lasso； now shook like leaves in the wind。
There was only dust on the lasso。 But Bostil knewthey all knew that none the
less it had dealt a terrible death to the horse…thief。
Somehow Bostil could not find words for what he wanted to say。 He put a hand
on the red stallionpatted his shoulder。 Then he gripped Slone close and
hard。 He was thinking how he would have gloried in a son like this young； wild
rider。 Then he again faced his comrades。
〃Fellers； do you think Cordts was in on thet trick？〃 he queried。
〃Nope。 Cordts was on the square；〃 replied Holley。 〃But he must have seen it
comin' an' left Sears to his fate。 It sure was a fittin' last ride for a
hoss…thief。〃
Bostil sent Holley and Farlane on ahead to find Cordts and Hutchinson； with
their comrades； to tell them the fate of Sears； and to warn them to leave
before the news got to the riders。
The sun was setting golden and red over the broken battlements of the canyons
to the west。 The heat of the day blew away on a breeze that bent the tips of
the sage…brush。 A wild song drifted back from the riders to the fore。 And the
procession of Indians moved along； their gay trappings and bright colors
beautiful in the fading sunset light。
When Bostil and； his guests arrived at the corrals； Holley； with Farlane and
other riders； were waiting。
〃Boss；〃 said Holley； 〃Cordts an' his outfit never rid in。 They was last seen
by some Navajos headin' for the canyon。〃
〃Thet's good！〃 ejaculated Bostil； in relief。 〃Wal boys； look after the hosses。
。 。 。 Slone； just turn Wildfire over to the boys with instructions； an' feel
safe。〃
Farlane scratched his head and looked dubious。 〃I'm wonderin' how safe it'll
be fer us。〃
〃I'll look after him；〃 said Slone。
Bostil nodded as if he had expected Slone to refuse to let any rider put the
stallion away for the night。 Wildfire would not go into the barn； and Slone
led him into one of the high…barred corrals。 Bostil waited； talking with his
friends； until Slone returned； and then they went toward the house。
〃I reckon we couldn't get inside Brack's place now；〃 remarked Bostil。 〃But in
a case like this I can scare up a drink。〃 Lights from the windows shone bright
through the darkness under the cottonwoods。 Bostil halted at the door； as if
suddenly remembering； and he whispered； huskily： 〃Let's keep the women from
learnin' about Searsto…night； anyway。〃
Then he led the way through the big door into the huge living…room。 There were
hanging…lights on the walls and blazing sticks on the hearth。 Lucy came
running in to meet them。 It did not escape Bostil's keen eyes that she was
dressed in her best white dress。 He had never seen her look so sweet and
pretty； and； for that matter； so strange。 The flush； the darkness of her eyes；
the added something in her face； tender； thoughtful； strongthese were new。
Bostil pondered while she welcomed his guests。 Slone； who had hung back； was
last in turn。 Lucy greeted him as she had the others。 Slone met her with
awkward constraint。 The gray had not left his face。 Lucy looked up at him
again； and differently。
〃Whatwhat has happened？〃 she asked。
It annoyed Bostil that Slone and all the men suddenly looked blank。
〃Why； nothin'；〃 replied Slone； slowly； 〃'cept I'm fagged out。〃
Lucy； or any other girl； could have seen that he； was evading the truth。 She
flashed a look from Slone to her father。
〃Until to…day we never had a big race that something dreadful didn't happen；〃
said Lucy。 〃This was my daymy race。 And； oh！ I wanted it to pass
withoutwithout〃
〃Wal； Lucy dear；〃 replied Bostil； as she faltered。 〃Nothin' came off thet'd
make you feel bad。 Young Slone had a scare about his hoss。 Wildfire's safe out
there in the corral； an' he'll be guarded like the King an' Sarch。 Slone needs
a drink an' somethin' to eat； same as all of us。〃
Lucy's color returned and her smile； but Bostil noted that； while she was
serving them and brightly responsive to compliments； she gave more than one
steady glance at Slone。 She was deep； thought Bostil； and it angered him a
little that she showed interest in what concerned this strange rider。
Then they had dinner； with twelve at table。 The wives of Bostil's three
friends had been helping Aunt Jane prepare the feast； and they added to the
merriment。 Bostil was not much given to social intercoursehe would have
preferred to be with his horses and ridersbut this night he outdid himself
as host； amazed his sister Jane； who evidently thought he drank too much； and
delighted Lucy。 Bostil's outward appearance and his speech and action never
reflected all the workings of his mind。 No one would ever know the depth of
his bitter disappointment at the outcome of the race。 With Creech's Blue Roan
out of the way； another horse； swifter and more dangerous； had come along to
spoil the King's chance。 Bostil felt a subtly increasing covetousness in
regard to Wildfire； and this colored all his talk and action。 The upland
country； vast and rangy； was for Bostil too small to hold Sage King and
Wildfire unless they both belonged to him。 And when old Cal Blinn gave a
ringing toast to Lucy； hoping to live to see her up on Wildfire in the grand
race that must be run with the King； Bostil felt stir in him the birth of a
subtle； bitter fear。 At first he mocked it。 HeBostilafraid to race！ It was
a lie of the excited mind。 He repudiated it。 Insidiously it returned。 He
drowned it downsmothered it with passion。 Then the ghost of it remained；
hauntingly。
Af