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strange eyes。 A long…cherished mad vengeance had reached its fruition。 Then he
led the horse near to Lucy。
Warily he reached down。 He did not know Lucy's strength was spent。 He feared
she might yet escape。 With hard； quick grasp he caught her； lifted her； threw
her over the King's back。 He forced her down。
Lucy's resistance was her only salvation； because it kept him on the track of
his old threat。 She resisted all she could。 He pulled her arms down round the
King's neck and tied them close。 Then he pulled hard on the rope on her ankle
and tied that to her other ankle。
Lucy realized that she was bound fast。 Creech had made good most of his
threat。 And now in her mind the hope of the death she had sought changed to
the hope of life that was possible。 Whatever power she had ever had over the
King was in her voice。 If only Creech would slip the bridle or cut the
reinsif only Sage King could be free to run！
Lucy could turn her face far enough to see Creech。 Like a fiend he was
reveling in his work。 Suddenly he picked up the gun。
〃Look a…hyar！〃 he called； hoarsely。
With eyes on her； grinning horribly； he walked a few paces to where the long
grass had not been trampled or pressed down。 The wind； whipping up out of the
canyon； was still blowing hard。 Creech put the gun down in the grass and
fired。
Sage King plunged。 But he was not gun…shy。 He steadied down with a pounding of
heavy hoofs。 Then Lucy could see again。 A thin streak of yellow smoke rosea
little snaky flamea slight crackling hiss！ Then as the wind caught the blaze
there came a rushing； low roar。 Fire； like magic； raced and spread before the
wind toward the forest。
Lucy had forgotten that Creech had meant to drive her into fire。 The sudden
horror of it almost caused collapse。 Commotion within cold and quake and
nausea and agonydeadened her hearing and darkened her sight。 But Creech's
hard hands quickened her。 She could see him then； though not clearly。 His face
seemed inhuman； misshapen； gray。 His hands pulled at her armsa last
precaution to see that she was tightly bound。 Then with the deft fingers of a
rider he slipped Sage King's bridle。
Lucy could not trust her sight。 What made the King stand so still？ His ears
went upstiffpointed！
Creech stepped back and laid a violent hand on Lucy's garments。 She
benttwisted her neck to watch him。 But her sight grew no clearer。 Still she
saw he meant to strip her naked。 He braced himself for a strong； ripping pull。
His yellow teeth showed deep in his lip。 His contrasting eyes were alight with
insane joy。
But he never pulled。 Something attracted his attention。 He looked。 He saw
something。 The beast in him became humanthe madness changed to
rationalitythe devil to a craven！ His ashen lips uttered a low； terrible
cry。
Lucy felt the King trembling in every muscle。 She knew that was flight。 She
expected his loud snort； and was prepared for it when it rang out。 In a second
he would bolt。 She knew that。 She thrilled。 She tried to call to him； but her
lips were weak。 Creech seemed paralyzed。 The King shifted his position； and
Lucy's last glimpse of Creech was one she would never forget。 It was as if
Creech faced burning hell！
Then the King whistled and reared。 Lucy heard swift； dull； throbbing beats。
Beats of a fast horse's hoofs on the run！ She felt a surging thrill of joy。
She could not think。 All of her blood and bone and muscle seemed to throb。
Suddenly the air split to a high…pitched； wild； whistling blast。 It pierced to
Lucy's mind。 She knew that whistle。
〃Wildfire！〃 she screamed； with bursting heart。
The King gave a mighty convulsive bound of terror。 He； too； knew that whistle。
And in that one great bound he launched out into a run。 Straight across the
line of burning grass！ Lucy felt the sting of flame。 Smoke blinded and choked
her。 Then clear； dry； keen wind sung in her ears and whipped her hair。 The
light about her darkened。 The King had headed into the pines。 The heavy roar
of the gale overhead struck Lucy with new and torturing dread。 Sage King once
in his life was running away； bridleless； and behind him there was fire on the
wings of the wind。
CHAPTER XVII
For the first time in his experience Bostil found that horse…trading palled
upon him。 This trip to Durango was a failure。 Something was wrong。 There was a
voice constantly calling into his inner eara voice to which he refused to
listen。 And during the five days of the return trip the strange mood grew upon
him。
The last day he and his riders covered over fifty miles and reached the Ford
late at night。 No one expected them； and only the men on duty at the corrals
knew of the return。 Bostil； much relieved to get home； went to bed and at once
fell asleep。
He awakened at a late hour for him。 When he dressed and went out to the
kitchen he found that his sister had learned of his return and had breakfast
waiting。
〃Where's the girl？〃 asked Bostil。
〃Not up yet；〃 replied Aunt Jane。
〃What！〃
〃Lucy and I had a tiff last night and she went to her room in a temper。〃
〃Nothin' new about thet。〃
〃Holley and I have had our troubles holding her in。 Don't you forget that。〃
Bostil laughed。 〃Wal； call her an' tell her I'm home。〃
Aunt Jane did as she was bidden。 Bostil finished his breakfast。 But Lucy did
not come。
Bostil began to feel something strange； and； going to Lucy's door； he knocked。
There was no reply。 Bostil pushed open the door。 Lucy was not in evidence； and
her room was not as tidy as usual。 He saw her white dress thrown upon the bed
she had not slept in。 Bostil gazed around with a queer contraction of the
heart。 That sense of something amiss grew stronger。 Then he saw a chair before
the open window。 That window was rather high； and Lucy had placed a chair
before it so that she could look out or get out。 Bostil stretched his neck；
looked out； and in the red earth beneath the window he saw fresh tracks of
Lucy's boots。 Then he roared for Jane。
She came running； and between Bostil's furious questions and her own excited
answers there was nothing arrived at。 But presently she spied the white dress；
and then she ran to Lucy's closet。 From there she turned a white face to
Bostil。
〃She put on her riding…clothes！〃 gasped Aunt Jane。
〃Supposin' she did！ Where is she？〃 demanded Bostil。
〃SHE'S RUN OFF WITH SLONE！〃
Bostil could not have been shocked or hurt any more acutely by a knife…thrust。
He glared at his sister。
〃A…huh！ So thet's the way you watch her！〃
〃Watch her？ It wasn't possible。 She'swell； she's as smart as you are。 。 。 。
Oh； I knew she'd do it！ She was wild in love with him！〃
Bostil strode out of the room and the house。 He went through the grove and
directly up the path to Slone's cabin。 It was empty； just as Bostil expected
to find it。
The bars of the corral were down。 Both Slone's horses were gone。 Presently
Bostil saw the black horse Nagger down in Brackton's pasture。
There were riders in front of Brackton's。 All spoke at once to Bostil； and he
only yelled for Brackton。 The old man came hurriedly out； alarmed。
〃Where's this Slone？〃 demanded Bostil。
〃Slone！〃 ejaculated Brackton。 〃I'm blessed if I know。 Ain't he home？〃
〃No。 An' he's left his black hoss in your field。〃
〃Wal； by golly； thet's news to me。 。 。 。 Bostil； there's been strange doin's
lately。〃 Brackton seemed at a loss for words。 〃Mebbe Slone got out because of
somethin' thet come off last night。 。 。 。 Now； Joel Creech an'an'〃
Bostil waited to hear no more。 What did he care about the idiot Creech？ He
strode down the lane to the corrals。 Farlane； Van； and other riders were
there； leisurely as usual。 Then Holley appeared； coming out of the barn。 He；
too； was easy； cool； natural； lazy。 None of these riders knew what was amiss。
But instantly a change passed over them。 It came because Bostil pulled a gun。
〃Holley； I've a mind to bore you！〃
The old hawk…eyed rider did not flinch or turn a shade off color。 〃What fer？〃
he queried。 But his customary drawl was wanting。
〃I left you to watch Lucy。 。 。 。 An' she's gone！〃
Holley showed genuine surprise and distress。 The other riders echoed Bostil's
last word。 Bostil lowered the gun。
〃I reckon what saves you is you're the only tracker thet'd have a show to find
this cussed Slone。〃
Holley now showed no sign of surprise； but the other riders were astounded。
〃Lucy's run off with Slone；〃 added Bostil。
〃Wal； if she's gone； an' if he's gone； it's a cinch；〃 replied Holley； throwing
up his hands。 〃Boss； she double…crossed me same as you！ 。 。 。 She promised
faithful to stay in the house。〃
〃Promises nothin'！〃 roared Bostil。 〃She's in love with this wild…hoss
wrangler！ She met him last night！〃
〃I couldn't help thet；〃 retorted Holley。 〃An' I trusted the girl。〃
Bostil tossed his hands。 He struggled with his rage。 He had no fear that Lucy
would not soon be found。 But the opposition to his will made him furious。
Van left the group of riders and came close to Bostil。 〃It ain't an hour back
thet I seen Slone ride off alone on his red hoss。〃
〃What of thet？〃 demanded Bostil。 〃Sure she was waitin' somewheres。 They'd have
too much sense to go together。 。 。 。 Saddle up；