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rider。
〃You're skin an' bones at thet。〃
〃Mebbe you'll need to work a little off； Van。 Some one said Creech's Blue Roan
was comin' fast this year。〃
〃Bill； your mind ain't operatin'；〃 replied Van； scornfully。 〃Didn't I beat
Creech's hosses last year without the King turnin' a hair？〃
〃Not if I recollect； you didn't。 The Blue Roan wasn't runnin'。〃
Then they argued； after the manner of friendly riders； but all earnest； an
eloquent in their convictions。 The prevailing opinion was that Creech's horse
had a chance； depending upon condition and luck。
The argument shifted upon the arrival of two new…comers； leading mustangs and
apparently talking trade。 It was manifest that these arrivals were not loath
to get the opinions of others。
〃Van； there's a hoss！〃 exclaimed one。
〃No； he ain't；〃 replied Van。
And that diverse judgment appeared to be characteristic throughout。 The
strange thing was that Macomber； the rancher； had already traded his mustang
and money to boot for the sorrel。 The deal； whether wise or not； had been
consummated。 Brackton came out with Red Wilson； and they had to have their
say。
〃Wal； durned if some of you fellers ain't kind an' complimentary；〃 remarked
Macomber； scratching his head。 〃But then every feller can't have hoss sense。〃
Then； looking up to see Lucy Bostil coming along the road； he brightened as if
with inspiration。
Lucy was at home among them； and the shy eyes of the younger riders；
especially Van； were nothing if not revealing。 She greeted them with a bright
smile； and when she saw Brackton she burst out：
〃Oh； Mr。 Brackton； the wagon's in； and did my box come？ 。 。 。 To…day's my
birthday。〃
〃'Deed it did； Lucy； an' many more happy ones to you！〃 he replied； delighted
in her delight。 〃But it's too heavy for you。 I'll send it upor mebbe one of
the boys〃
Five riders in unison eagerly offered their services and looked as if each had
spoken first。 Then Macomber addressed her：
〃Miss Lucy； you see this here sorrel？〃
〃Ah！ the same lazy crowd and the same old storya horse trade！〃 laughed Lucy。
〃There's a little difference of opinion；〃 said Macomber； politely indicating
the riders。 〃Now； Miss Lucy； we…all know you're a judge of a hoss。 And as good
as thet you tell the truth。 Thet ain't in some hoss…traders I know。 。 。 。 What
do you think of this mustang？〃
Macomber had eyes of enthusiasm for his latest acquisition； but some of the
cock…sureness had been knocked out of him by the blunt riders。
〃Macomber； aren't you a great one to talk？〃 queried Lucy； severely。 〃Didn't
you get around Dad and trade him an old； blind； knock…kneed bag of bones for a
perfectly good ponyone I liked to ride？〃
The riders shouted with laughter while the rancher struggled with confusion。
〃'Pon my word； Miss Lucy； I'm surprised you could think thet of such an old
friend of yoursan' your Dad's； too。 I'm hopin' he doesn't side altogether
with you。〃
〃Dad and I never agree about a horse。 He thinks he got the best of you。 But
you know； Macomber； what a horse…thief you are。 Worse than Cordts！〃
〃Wal； if I got the best of Bostil I'm willin' to be thought bad。 I'm the first
feller to take him in。 。 。 。 An' now； Miss Lucy； look over my sorrel。〃
Lucy Bostil did indeed have an eye for a horse。 She walked straight up to the
wild； shaggy mustang with a confidence born of intuition and experience； and
reached a hand for his head； not slowly； nor yet swiftly。 The mustang looked
as if he was about to jump； but he did not。 His eyes showed that he was not
used to women。
〃He's not well broken；〃 said Lucy。 〃Some Navajo has beaten his head in
breaking him。〃
Then she carefully studied the mustang point by point。
〃He's deceiving at first because he's good to look at；〃 said Lucy。 〃But I
wouldn't own him。 A saddle will turn on him。 He's not vicious； but he'll never
get over his scare。 He's narrow between the eyesa bad sign。 His ears are
stiffand too close。 I don't see anything more wrong with him。〃
〃You seen enough；〃 declared Macomber。 〃An' so you wouldn't own him？〃
〃You couldn't make me a present of himeven on my birthday。〃
〃Wal； now I'm sorry； for I was thinkin' of thet；〃 replied Macomber； ruefully。
It was plain that the sorrel had fallen irremediably in his estimation。
〃Macomber； I often tell Dad all you horse…traders get your deserts now and
then。 It's vanity and desire to beat the other man that's your downfall。〃
Lucy went away； with Van shouldering her box； leaving Macomber trying to
return the banter of the riders。 The good…natured raillery was interrupted by
a sharp word from one of them。
〃Look！ Darn me if thet ain't a naked Indian comin'！〃
The riders whirled to see an apparently nude savage approaching； almost on a
run。
〃Take a shot at thet； Bill；〃 said another rider。 〃Miss Lucy might seeNo；
she's out of sight。 But； mebbe some other woman is around。〃
〃Hold on； Bill；〃 called Macomber。 〃You never saw an Indian run like thet。〃
Some of the riders swore； others laughed； and all suddenly became keen with
interest。
〃Sure his face is white； if his body's red！〃
The strange figure neared them。 It was indeed red up to the face； which seemed
white in contrast。 Yet only in general shape and action did it resemble a man。
〃Damned if it ain't Joel Creech！〃 sang out Bill Stark。
The other riders accorded their wondering assent。
〃Gone crazy； sure！〃
〃I always seen it comin'。〃
〃Say； but ain't he wild？ Foamin' at the mouth like a winded hoss！〃
Young Creech was headed down the road toward the ford across which he had to
go to reach home。 He saw the curious group； slowed his pace； and halted。 His
face seemed convulsed with rage and pain and fatigue。 His body； even to his
hands； was incased in a thick； heavy coating of red adobe that had caked hard。
〃God's sakefellers〃 he panted； with eyes rolling； 〃take this 'dobe mud
off me！ 。 。 。 I'm dyin'！〃
Then he staggered into Brackton's place。 A howl went up from the riders and
they surged after him。
That evening after supper Bostil stamped in the big room； roaring with
laughter； red in the face； and he astonished Lucy and her aunt to the point of
consternation。
〃Nowyou'vedoneitLucy Bostil！〃 he roared。
〃Oh dear！ Oh dear！〃 exclaimed Aunt Jane。
〃Done what？〃 asked Lucy； blankly。
Bostil conquered his paroxysm； and； wiping his moist red face； he eyed Lucy in
mock solemnity。
〃Joel！〃 whispered Lucy； who had a guilty conscience。
〃Lucy； I never heard the beat of it。 。 。 。 Joel's smarter in some ways than we
thought； an' crazier in others。 He had the sun figgered； but what'd he want to
run through town for？ Why； never in my life have I seen such tickled riders。〃
〃Dad！〃 almost screamed Lucy。 〃What did Joel do？〃
〃Wal； I see it this way。 He couldn't or wouldn't wait for sundown。 An' he
wasn't hankerin' to be burned。 So he wallows in a 'dobe mud…hole an' covers
himself thick with mud。 You know that 'dobe mud！ Then he starts home。 But he
hadn't figgered on the 'dobe gettin' hard； which it didharder 'n rock。 An'
thet must have hurt more 'n sunburn。 Late this afternoon he came runnin' down
the road； yellin' thet he was dyin'。 The boys had conniption fits。 Joel ain't
over…liked； you know； an' here they had one on him。 Mebbe they didn't try hard
to clean him off。 But the fact is not for hours did they get thet 'dobe off
him。 They washed an' scrubbed an' curried him； while he yelled an' cussed。
Finally they peeled it off； with his skin I guess。 He was raw。 an' they say；
the maddest feller ever seen in Bostil's Ford！〃
Lucy was struggling between fear and mirth。 She did not look sorry。 〃Oh！ Oh！
Oh； Dad！〃
〃Wasn't it great； Lucy？〃
〃But whatwill hedo？〃 choked Lucy。
〃Lord only knows。 Thet worries me some。 Because he never said a word about how
he come to lose his clothes or why he had the 'dobe on him。 An' sure I never
told。 Nobody knows but us。〃
〃Dad； hell do something terrible to me！〃 cried Lucy； aghast at her premonition
CHAPTER III
The days did not pass swiftly at Bostil's Ford。 And except in winter； and
during the spring sand…storms； the lagging time passed pleasantly。 Lucy rode
every day； sometimes with Van； and sometimes alone。 She was not over…keen
about riding with Vanfirst； because he was in love with her； and secondly；
in spite of that； she could not beat him when he rode the King。 They were
training Bostil's horses for the much…anticipated races。
At last word arrived from the Utes and Navajos that they accepted Bostil's
invitation and would come in force； which meant； according to Holley and other
old riders； that the Indians would attend about eight hundred strong。
〃Thet old chief； Hawk； is comin'；〃 Holley informed Bostil。 〃He hasn't been
here fer several years。 Recollect thet bunch of colts he had？ They're bosses；
not mustangs。 。 。 。 So you look out； Bostil！〃
No rider or rancher or sheepman； in fact； no one； ever lost a chance to warn
Bostil。 Some of it was in fun； but most of it was earnest。 The nature of
events was that sooner or later a horse would beat the King。 Bostil knew that
as well as anybody； though he would not admit it。 Holley's hint made Bostil
look worried。 Most of Bostil's gray hai