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〃Sunburn？ Oh； Dad！ I'm sorry；〃 burst out Lucy； contritely。 〃I never thought of
that。 I'll ride back with his clothes。〃
〃You will not；〃 said Bostil。
〃Let me send some one； then；〃 she entreated。
〃Girl； haven't you the nerve to play your own game？ Let Creech get his lesson。
He deserves it。 。 。 。 An' now； Lucy； I've two more questions to ask。〃
〃Only two？〃 she queried； archly。 〃Dad； don't scold me with questions。〃
〃What shall I say to Wetherby for good an' all？〃
Lucy's eyes shaded dreamily； and she seemed to look beyond the room； out over
the ranges。
〃Tell him to go back to Durango and forget the foolish girl who can care only
for the desert and a horse。〃
〃All right。 That is straight talk； like an Indian's。 An' now the last
questionwhat do you want for a birthday present？〃
〃Oh； of course；〃 she cried； gleefully clapping her hands。 I'd forgotten that。
I'm eighteen！〃
〃You get that old chest of your mother's。 But what from me？〃
〃Dad； will you give me anything I ask for？〃
〃Yes； my girl。〃
〃Anythingany HORSE？〃
Lucy knew his weakness； for she had inherited it。
〃Sure； any horse but the King。〃
〃How about Sarchedon？〃
〃Why； Lucy； what'd you do with that big black devil？ He's too high。 Seventeen
hands high！ You couldn't mount him。〃
〃Pooh！ Sarch KNEELS for me。〃
〃Child； listen to reason。 Sarch would pull your arms out of their sockets。〃
〃He has got an iron jaw；〃 agreed Lucy。 〃Well； thenhow about Dusty Ben？〃 She
was tormenting her father and she did it with glee。
〃Nonot Ben。 He's the faithfulest hoss I ever owned。 It wouldn't be fair to
part with him； even to you。 Old associations 。 。 。 a rider's loyalty 。 。 。
now； Lucy； you know〃
〃Dad； you're afraid I'd train and love Ben into beating the King。 Some day
I'll ride some horse out in front of the gray。 Remember； Dad！ 。 。 。 Then give
me Two Face。〃
〃Sure not her； Lucy。 Thet mare can't be trusted。 Look why we named her Two
Face。〃
〃Buckles； then； dear generous Daddy who longs to give his grown…up girl
ANYTHING！〃
〃Lucy； can't you be satisfied an' happy with your mustangs？ You've got a
dozen。 You can have any others on the range。 Buckles ain't safe for you to
ride。〃
Bostil was notably the most generous of men； the kindest of fathers。 It was an
indication of his strange obsession； in regard to horses； that he never would
see that Lucy was teasing him。 As far as horses were concerned he lacked a
sense of humor。 Anything connected with his horses was of intense interest。
〃I'd dearly love to own Plume；〃 said Lucy； demurely。
Bostil had grown red in the face and now he was on the rack。 The monstrous
selfishness of a rider who had been supreme in his day could not be changed。
〃Girl； II thought you hadn't no use for Plume；〃 he stammered。
〃I haven'tthe jade！ She threw me once。 I've never forgiven her 。 。 。 。 Dad；
I'm only teasing you。 Don't I know you couldn't give one of those racers away？
You couldn't！〃
〃Lucy； I reckon you're right；〃 Bostil burst out in immense relief。
〃Dad； I'll bet if Cordts gets me and holds me as ransom for the King as he's
threatenedyou'll let him have me！〃
〃Lucy； now thet ain't funny！〃 complained the father。
〃Dear Dad； keep your old racers！ But； remember； I'm my father's daughter。 I
can love a horse； too。 Oh； if I ever get the one I want to love！ A wild
horsea desert stallionpure Arabian broken right by an Indian！ If I ever
get him； Dad； you look out！ For I'll run away from Sarch and Benand I'll
beat the King！〃
The hamlet of Bostil's Ford had a singular situation； though； considering the
wonderful nature of that desert country； it was not exceptional。 It lay under
the protecting red bluff that only Lucy Bostil cared to climb。 A hard…trodden
road wound down through rough breaks in the canyon wall to the river。 Bostil's
house； at the head of the village； looked in the opposite direction； down the
sage slope that widened like a colossal fan。 There was one wide street
bordered by cottonwoods and cabins； and a number of gardens and orchards；
beginning to burst into green and pink and white。 A brook ran out of a ravine
in the huge bluff； and from this led irrigation ditches。 The red earth seemed
to blossom at the touch of water。
The place resembled an Indian encampmentquiet； sleepy； colorful； with the
tiny…streams of water running everywhere； and lazy columns of blue wood…smoke
rising。 Bostil's Ford was the opposite of a busy village； yet its few
inhabitants； as a whole； were prosperous。 The wants of pioneers were few。
Perhaps once a month the big； clumsy flatboat was rowed across the river with
horses or cattle or sheep。 And the season was now close at hand when for
weeks； sometimes months； the river was unfordable。 There were a score of
permanent families； a host of merry； sturdy children； a number of idle young
men； and only one girlLucy Bostil。 But the village always had transient
inhabitantsfriendly Utes and Navajos in to trade； and sheep…herders with a
scraggy； woolly flock； and travelers of the strange religious sect identified
with Utah going on into the wilderness。 Then there were always riders passing
to and fro； and sometimes unknown ones regarded with caution。 Horse…thieves
sometimes boldly rode in； and sometimes were able to sell or trade。 In the
matter of horse…dealing Bostil's Ford was as bold as the thieves。
Old Brackton； a man of varied Western experience； kept the one store； which
was tavern； trading…post； freighter's headquarters； blacksmith's shop； and any
thing else needful。 Brackton employed riders； teamsters； sometimes Indians； to
freight supplies in once a month from Durango。 And that was over two hundred
miles away。 Sometimes the supplies did not arrive on timeoccasionally not at
all。 News from the outside world； except that elicited from the taciturn
travelers marching into Utah； drifted in at intervals。 But it was not missed。
These wilderness spirits were the forerunners of a great； movement； and as
such were big； strong； stern； sufficient unto themselves。 Life there was made
possible by horses。 The distant future； that looked bright to far…seeing men；
must be and could only be fulfilled through the endurance and faithfulness of
horses。 And then； from these men； horses received the meed due them； and the
love they were truly worth。 The Navajo was a nomad horseman； an Arab of the
Painted Desert； and the Ute Indian was close to him。 It was they who developed
the white riders of the uplands as well as the wild…horse wrangler or hunter。
Brackton's ramshackle establishment stood down at the end of the village
street。 There was not a sawed board in all that structure； and some of the
pine logs showed how they had been dropped from the bluff。 Brackton； a little
old gray man； with scant beard； and eyes like those of a bird； came briskly
out to meet an incoming freighter。 The wagon was minus a hind wheel； but the
teamster had come in on three wheels and a pole。 The sweaty； dust…caked；
weary； thin…ribbed mustangs； and the gray…and…red…stained wagon； and the huge
jumble of dusty packs； showed something of what the journey had been。
〃Hi thar； Red Wilson； you air some late gettin' in；〃 greeted old Brackton。
Red Wilson had red eyes from fighting the flying sand； and red dust pasted in
his scraggy beard； and as he gave his belt an upward hitch little red clouds
flew from his gun…sheath。
〃Yep。 An' I left a wheel an' part of the load on the trail；〃 he said。
With him were Indians who began to unhitch the teams。 Riders lounging in the
shade greeted Wilson and inquired for news。 The teamster replied that travel
was dry； the water…holes were dry； and he was dry。 And his reply gave both
concern and amusement。
〃One more trip out an' backthet's all； till it rains；〃 concluded Wilson。
Brackton led him inside； evidently to alleviate part of that dryness。
Water and grass； next to horses； were the stock subject of all riders。
〃It's got oncommon hot early；〃 said one。
〃Yes； an' them northeast windshard this spring；〃 said another。
〃No snow on the uplands。〃
〃Holley seen a dry spell comin'。 Wal； we can drift along without freighters。
There's grass an' water enough here； even if it doesn't rain。〃
〃Sure； but there ain't none across the river。〃
〃Never was； in early season。 An' if there was it'd be sheeped off。〃
〃Creech'll be fetchin' his hosses across soon； I reckon。〃
〃You bet he will。 He's trainin' for the races next month。〃
〃An' when air they comin' off？〃
〃You got me。 Mebbe Van knows。〃
Some one prodded a sleepy rider who lay all his splendid lithe length； hat
over his eyes。 Then he sat up and blinked； a lean…faced； gray…eyed fellow；
half good…natured and half resentful。
〃Did somebody punch me？〃
〃Naw； you got nightmare！ Say； Van； when will the races come off？〃
〃Huh！ An； you woke me for thet？ 。 。 。 Bostil says in a few weeks； soon as he
hears from the Indians。 Plans to have eight hundred Indians here； an' the
biggest purses an' best races ever had at the Ford。〃
〃You'll ride the King again？〃
〃Reckon so。 But Bostil is kickin' because I'm heavier than I was；〃 replied the
rider。
〃You're skin an' bones at thet。〃
〃Mebbe you'll need to work a little off； V