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veins。 That was gall to a rider。
〃I like your hoss；〃 said Bostil； with gruff frankness。 But a tinge of red
showed under his beard。
〃Bostil； I'm sorry I can't take you up on the job；〃 rejoined Slone； swiftly。
〃It's been hard for me to decide。 You've been good to me。 I'm grateful。 But
it's time I was tellin' you。〃
〃Why can't you？〃 demanded Bostil； straightening up with a glint in his big
eyes。 It was the first time he had asked Slone that。
〃I can't ride for you；〃 replied Slone； briefly。
〃Anythin' to do with Lucy？〃 queried Bostil。
〃How so？〃 returned Slone； conscious of more heat。
〃Wal； you was sweet on her an' she wouldn't have you；〃 replied Bostil。
Slone felt the blood swell and boil in his veins。 This Bostil could say as
harsh and hard things as repute gave him credit for。
〃Yes； I AM sweet on Lucy； an' she won't have me；〃 said Slone； steadily。 〃I
asked her to let me come to you an' tell you I wanted to marry her。 But she
wouldn't。〃
〃Wal； it's just as good you didn't come； because I might。 。 。 。〃 Bostil broke
off his speech and began again。 〃You don't lack nerve； Slone。 What'd you have
to offer Lucy？〃
〃Nothin' exceptBut that doesn't matter；〃 replied Slone； cut to the quick by
Bostil's scorn。 〃I'm glad you know； an' so much for that。〃
Bostil turned to look at Wildfire once more； and he looked long。 When he faced
around again he was another man。 Slone felt the powerful driving passion of
this old horse…trader。
〃Slone； I'll give you pick of a hundred mustangs an' a thousand dollars for
Wildfire！〃
So he unmasked his power in the face of a beggarly rider！ Though it struck
Slone like a thunderbolt； he felt amused。 But he did not show that。 Bostil had
only one possession； among all his uncounted wealth； that could win Wildfire
from his owner。
〃No；〃 said Slone； briefly。
〃I'll double it；〃 returned Bostil； just as briefly。
〃No！〃
〃I'll〃
〃Save your breath； Bostil；〃 flashed Slone。 〃You don't know me。 But let me tell
youyou CAN'T BUY my horse！〃
The great veins swelled and churned in Bostil's bull neck； a thick and ugly
contortion worked in his face； his eyes reflected a sick rage。
Slone saw that two passions shook Bostilone； a bitter； terrible
disappointment； and the other； the passion of a man who could not brook being
crossed。 It appeared to Slone that the best thing he could do was to get away
quickly； and to this end he led Wildfire out of the corral to the stable
courtyard； and there quickly saddled him。 Then he went into another corral for
his other horse； Nagger； and； bringing him out； returned to find Bostil had
followed as far as the court。 The old man's rage apparently had passed or had
been smothered。
〃See here；〃 he began； in thick voice； 〃don't be a d… fool an' ruin your
chance in life。 I'll〃
〃Bostil； my one chance was ruinedan' you know who did it；〃 replied Slone； as
he gathered Nagger's rope and Wildfire's bridle together。 〃I've no hard
feelin's。 。 。 。 But I can't sell you my horse。 An' I can't ride for
youbecausewell； because it would breed trouble。〃
〃An' what kind？〃 queried Bostil。
Holley and Farlane and Van； with several other riders； had come up and were
standing open…mouthed。 Slone gathered from their manner and expression that
anything might happen with Bostil in such a mood。
〃We'd be racin' the King an' Wildfire； wouldn't we？〃 replied Slone。
〃An' supposin' we would？〃 returned Bostil； ominously。 His huge frame vibrated
with a slight start。
〃Wildfire would run off with your favoritean' you wouldn't like that；〃
answered Slone。 It was his rider's hot blood that prompted him to launch this
taunt。 He could not help it。
〃You wild…hoss chaser；〃 roared Bostil； 〃your Wildfire may be a bloody killer；
but he can't beat the King in a race！〃
〃Excuse ME； Bostil； but Wildfire did beat the King！〃
This was only adding fuel to the fire。 Slone saw Holley making signs that must
have meant silence would be best。 But Slone's blood was up。 Bostil had rubbed
him the wrong way。
〃You're a lair！〃 declared Bostil； with a tremendous stride forward。 Slone saw
then how dangerous the man really was。 〃It was no race。 Your wild hoss knocked
the King off the track。〃
〃Sage King had the lead； didn't he？ Why didn't he keep it？〃
Bostil was like a furious； intractable child whose favorite precious treasure
had been broken； and he burst out into a torrent of incoherent speech；
apparently reasons why this and that were so。 Slone did not make out what
Bostil meant and he did not care。 When Bostil got out of breath Slone said：
〃We're both wastin' talk。 An' I'm not wantin' you to call me a liar twice。 。 。
。 Put your rider up on the King an' come on； right now。 I'll〃
〃Slone； shut up an' chase yourself；〃 interrupted Holley
〃You go to hl！〃 returned Slone； coolly。
There was a moment's silence； in which Slone took Holley's measure。 The
hawk…eyed old rider may have been square； but he was then thinking only of
Bostil。
〃What am I up； against here？〃 demanded Slone。 〃Am I goin' to be shot because
I'm takin' my own part？ Holley； you an' the rest of your pards are all afraid
of this old devil。 But I'm notan' you stay out of this。〃
〃Wal； son； you needn't git riled；〃 replied Holley； placatingly。 〃I was only
tryin' to stave off talk you might be sorry for。〃
〃Sorry for nothin'！ I'm goin' to make this great horse…trader； this rich an'
mighty rancher； this judge of grand horses； this BOSTIL！ 。 。 。 I'm goin' to
make him race the King or take water！〃 Then Slone turned to Bostil。 That
worthy evidently had been stunned by the rider who dared call him to his face。
〃Come on！ Fetch the King！ Let your own riders judge the race！〃
Bostil struggled both to control himself and to speak。 〃Naw！ I ain't goin' to
see thet red hoss…killer jump the King again！〃
〃Bah！ you're afraid。 You know there'd be no girl on his back。 You know he can
outrun the King an' that's why you want to buy him。〃
Slone caught his breath then。 He realized suddenly； at Bostil's paling face；
that perhaps he had dared too much。 Yet； maybe the truth flung into this hard
old rider's teeth was what he needed more than anything else。 Slone divined；
rather than saw； that he had done an unprecedented thing。
〃I'll go now； Bostil。〃
Slone nodded a good…by to the riders； and； turning away； he led the two horses
down the lane toward the house。 It scarcely needed sight of Lucy under the
cottonwoods to still his anger and rouse his regret。 Lucy saw him coming； and；
as usual； started to avoid meeting him； when sight of the horses； or something
else； caused her to come toward him instead。
Slone halted。 Both Wildfire and Nagger whinnied at sight of the girl。 Lucy
took one flashing glance at them； at Slone； and then she evidently guessed
what was amiss。
〃Lucy； I've done it nowplayed hob； sure；〃 said Slone。
〃What？〃 she cried。
〃I called your dadcalled him good an' hardan' hehe〃
〃Lin！ Oh； don't say Dad。〃 Lucy's face whitened and she put a swift hand upon
his arma touch that thrilled him。 〃Lin！ there's blood on your face。
Don'tdon't tell me Dad hit you？〃
〃I should say not；〃 declared Slone； quickly lifting his hand to his face。
〃Must be from my cut； that blood。 I barked my hand holdin' Wildfire。〃
〃Oh！ II was sick withwith〃 Lucy faltered and broke off； and then drew
back quickly； as if suddenly conscious of her actions and words。
Then Slone began to relate everything that had been said； and before he
concluded his story his heart gave a wild throb at the telltale face and eyes
of the girl。
〃You said that to Dad！〃 she cried； in amaze and fear and admiration。 〃Oh； Dad
richly deserved it！ But I wish you hadn't。 Oh； I wish you hadn't！〃
〃Why？〃 asked Slone。
But she did not answer that。 〃Where are you going？〃 she questioned。
〃Come to think of that； I don't know；〃 replied Slone； blankly。 〃I started back
to fetch my things out of my room。 That's as far as my muddled thoughts got。〃
〃Your things？ 。 。 。 Oh！〃 Suddenly she grew intensely white。 The little
freckles that had been so indistinct stood out markedly； and it was as if she
had never had any tan。 One brown hand went to her breast； the other fluttered
to his arm again。 〃You mean toto go awayfor good。〃
〃Sure。 What else can I do？〃
〃Lin！ 。 。 。 Oh； there comes Dad！ He mustn't see me。 I must run。 。 。 。 Lin；
don't leave Bostil's Forddon't goDON'T！〃
Then she flew round the comer of the house； to disappear。 Slone stood there
transfixed and thrilling。 Even Bostil's heavy tread did not break the trance；
and a meeting would have been unavoidable had not Bostil turned down the path
that led to the back of the house。 Slone； with a start collecting his
thoughts； hurried into the little room that had been his and gathered up his
few belongings。 He was careful to leave behind the gifts of guns； blankets；
gloves； and other rider's belongings which Bostil had presented to him。 Thus
laden； he went outside and； tingling with emotions utterly sweet and
bewildering； he led the horses down into the village。
Slone went down to Brackton's； and put the horses into a large； high…fenced
pasture adjoining Brackton's house。 Slone felt reasonably sure his horses
would be safe ther