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drowned it downsmothered it with passion。 Then the ghost of it remained；
hauntingly。
After dinner Bostil with the men went down to Brackton's； where Slone and the
winners of the day received their prizes。
〃Why； it's more money than I ever had in my whole life！〃 exclaimed Slone；
gazing incredulously at the gold。
Bostil was amused and pleased； and back of both amusement and pleasure was the
old inventive； driving passion to gain his own ends。
Bostil was abnormally generous in many ways； monstrously selfish in one way。
〃Slone； I seen you didn't drink none；〃 he said； curiously。
〃No； I don't like liquor。〃
〃Do you gamble？〃
〃I like a little beton a race；〃 replied Slone； frankly。
〃Wal； thet ain't gamblin'。 These fool riders of mine will bet on the switchin'
of a hoss's tail。〃 He drew Slone a little aside from the others； who were
interested in Brackton's delivery of the different prizes。 〃Slone； how'd you
like to ride for me？〃
Slone appeared surprised。 〃Why； I never rode for any one；〃 he replied； slowly。
〃I can't stand to be tied down。 I'm a horse…hunter； you know。〃
Bostil eyed the young man； wondering what he knew about the difficulties of
the job offered。 It was no news to Bostil that he was at once the best and the
worst man to ride for in all the uplands。
〃Sure； I know。 But thet doesn't make no difference；〃 went on Bostil；
persuasively。 〃If we got alongwal； you'd save some of thet yellow coin
you're jinglin'。 A roamin' rider never builds no corral！〃
〃Thank you； Bostil；〃 replied Slone； earnestly。 〃I'll think it over。 It would
seem kind of tame now to go back to wild…horse wranglin'； after I've caught
Wildfire。 I'll think it over。 Maybe I'll do it； if you're sure I'm good enough
with rope an' horse。〃
〃Wal； by Gawd！〃 blurted out Bostil。 〃Holley says he'd rather you throwed a gun
on him than a rope！ So would I。 An' as for your handlin' a hoss； I never seen
no better。〃
Slone appeared embarrassed and kept studying the gold coins in his palm。 Some
one touched Bostil； who； turning； saw Brackton at his elbow。 The other men
were now bantering with the Indians。
〃Come now while I've got a minnit；〃 said Brackton； taking up a lantern。 〃I've
somethin' to show you。〃
Bostil followed Brackton； and Slone came along。 The old man opened a door into
a small room； half full of stores and track。 The lantern only dimly lighted
the place。
〃Look thar！〃 And Brackton flashed the light upon a man lying prostrate。
Bostil recognized the pale face of Joel Creech。 〃Brack！ 。 。 。 What's this？ Is
he dead？〃 Bostil sustained a strange； incomprehensible shock。 Sight of a dead
man had never before shocked him。
〃Nope； he ain't dead； which if he was might be good for this community；〃
replied Brackton。 〃He's only fallen in a fit。 Fust off I reckoned he was
drunk。 But it ain't thet。〃
〃Wal； what do you want to show him to me for？〃 demanded Bostil； gruffly。
〃I reckoned you oughter see him。〃
〃An' why； Brackton？〃
Brackton set down the lantern and； pushing Slone outside； said： 〃Jest a
minnit； son；〃 and then he closed the door。 〃Joel's been on my hands since the
flood cut him off from home；〃 said Brackton。 〃An' he's been some trial。 But
nobody else would have done nothin' for him； so I had to。 I reckon I felt
sorry for him。 He cried like a baby thet had lost its mother。 Then he gets
wild…lookin' an' raved around。 When I wasn't busy I kept an eye on him。 But
some of the time I couldn't； an' he stole drinks； which made him wuss。 An'
when I seen he was tryin' to sneak one of my guns； I up an' gets suspicious。
Once he said； 'My dad's hosses are goin' to starve； an' I'm goin' to kill
somebody！' He was out of his head an' dangerous。 Wal； I was worried some； but
all I could do was lock up my guns。 Last night I caught him confabin' with
some men out in the dark； behind the store。 They all skedaddled except Joel；
but I recognized Cordts。 I didn't like this； nuther。 Joel was surly an' ugly。
An' when one of the riders called him he said： 'Thet boat NEVER DRIFTED OFF。
Fer the night of the flood I went down there myself an' tied the ropes。 They
never come untied。 Somebody cut themjest before the floodto make sure my
dad's hosses couldn't be crossed。 Somebody figgered the river an' the flood。
An' if my dad's hosses starve I'm goin' to kill somebody！'〃
Brackton took up the lantern and placed a hand on the door ready to go out。
〃Then a rider punched JoelI never seen whoan' Joel had a fit。 I dragged
him in here。 An' as you see； he ain't come to yet。〃
〃Wal； Brackton； the boy's crazy；〃 said Bostil。
〃So I reckon。 An' I'm afeared he'll burn us outhe's crazy on fires；
anywayor do somethin' like。〃
〃He's sure a problem。 Wal； we'll see；〃 replied Bostil； soberly。
And they went out to find Slone waiting。 Then Bostil called his guests； and
with Slone also accompanying him； went home。
Bostil threw off the recurring gloom； and he was good…natured when Lucy came
to his room to say good night。 He knew she had come to say more than that。
〃Hello； daughter！〃 he said。 〃Aren't you ashamed to come facin' your poor old
dad？〃
Lucy eyed him dubiously。 〃No； I'm not ashamed。 But I'm still a
littleafraid。〃
〃I'm harmless； child。 I'm a broken man。 When you put Sage King out of the race
you broke me。〃
〃Dad； that isn't funny。 You make me anangry when you hint I did something
underhand。〃
〃Wal； you didn't consult ME。〃
〃I thought it would be fun to surprise you all。 Why； you're always delighted
with a surprise in a race； unless it beats you。 。 。 。 Then； it was my great
and only chance to get out in front of the King。 Oh； how grand it'd have been！
Dad； I'd have run away from him the same as the others！〃
〃No； you wouldn't；〃 declared Bostil。
〃Dad； Wildfire can beat the King！〃
〃Never； girl！ Knockin' a good…tempered hoss off his pins ain't beatin' him in
a runnin'…race。〃
Then father and daughter fought over the old score； the one doggedly；
imperturbably； the other spiritedly； with flashing eyes。 It was different this
time； however； for it ended in Lucy saying Bostil would never risk another
race。 That stung Bostil； and it cost him an effort to control his temper。
〃Let thet go now。 Tell me all about how you saved Wildfire； an' Slone； too。〃
Lucy readily began the narrative； and she had scarcely started before Bostil
found himself intensely interested。 Soon he became absorbed。 That was the most
thrilling and moving kind of romance to him； like his rider's dreams。
〃Lucy； you're sure a game kid；〃 he said； fervidly； when she had ended。 〃I
reckon I don't blame Slone for fallin' in love with you。〃
〃Who said THAT！〃 inquired Lucy。
〃Nobody。 But it's trueain't it？〃
She looked up with eyes as true as ever they were； yet a little sad； he
thought； a little wistful and wondering； as if a strange and grave thing
confronted her。
〃Yes； Dadit'sit's true；〃 she answered； haltingly。
〃Wal； you didn't need to tell me； but I'm glad you did。〃
Bostil meant to ask her then if she in any sense returned the rider's love；
but unaccountably he could not put the question。 The girl was as true as
everas good as gold。 Bostil feared a secret that might hurt him。 just as
sure as life was there and death but a step away； some rider； sooner or later；
would win this girl's love。 Bostil knew that； hated it； feared it。 Yet he
would never give his girl to a beggarly rider。 Such a man as Wetherby ought to
win Lucy's hand。 And Bostil did not want to know too much at present； he did
not want his swift…mounting animosity roused so soon。 Still he was curious；
and； wanting to get the drift of Lucy's mind； he took to his old habit of
teasing。
〃Another moonstruck rider！〃 he said。 〃Your eyes are sure full moons； Lucy。 I'd
be ashamed to trifle with these poor fellers。〃
〃Dad！〃
〃You're a heartless flirtsame as your mother was before she met ME。〃
〃I'm not。 And I don't believe mother was； either；〃 replied Lucy。 It was easy
to strike fire from her。
〃Wal； you did dead wrong to ride out there day after day meetin' Slone；
becauseyoung womanif he ever has the nerve to ask me for you I'll beat him
up bad。〃
〃Then you'd be a brute！〃 retorted Lucy。
〃Wal； mebbe；〃 returned Bostil； secretly delighted and surprised at Lucy's
failure to see through him。 But she was looking inward。 He wondered what hid
there deep in her。 〃But I can't stand for the nerve of thet。〃
〃Hehe means toto ask you。〃
〃The h…。 。 。 。 A…huh！〃
Lucy did not catch the slip of tongue。 She was flushing now。 〃He said he'd
never have let me meet him out there aloneunless hehe loved meand as
our neighbors and the riders would learn of itand talkhe wanted you and
them to know he'd asked toto marry me。〃
〃Wal； he's a square young man！〃 ejaculated Bostil； involuntarily。 It was hard
for Bostil to hide his sincerity and impulsiveness； much harder than to hide
unworthy attributes。 Then he got back on the other track。 〃That'll make me
treat him decent； so when he rides up to ask for you I'll let him off with；
'No！〃
Lucy dropped her head。 Bostil would have given all he had； except his horses；
to feel sure she did not care for Slone。
〃DadI said'No'for myself；〃 she murmured。
This time Bostil di