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Lucy； but he tore her blouse into shreds。 It seemed to Lucy that he did that
savagely。 She broke free from him； and he lunged at her again。 With all her
strength she lashed his face with the heavy leather quirt。 That staggered him。
He almost fell。
Lucy bounded to Sarchedon。 In a rush she was up in the saddle。 Joel was
running toward her。 Blood on his face！ Blood on his hands！ He was not the Joel
Creech she knew。
〃Stop！〃 cried Lucy； fiercely。 〃I'll run you down！〃
The big black plunged at a touch of spur and came down quivering； ready to
bolt。
Creech swerved to one side。 His face was lividly white except where the bloody
welts crossed it。 His jaw seemed to hang loosely； making speech difficult。
〃Jest ferthet〃 he panted； hoarsely； 〃I'll lay fer youan' I'll strip
you…an' I'll tie you on a hossan' I'll drive you naked through Bostil's
Ford！〃
Lucy saw the utter futility of all her good intentions。 Something had snapped
in Joel Creech's mind。 And in hers kindness had given precedence to a fury she
did not know was in her。 For the second time she touched a spur to Sarchedon。
He leaped out； flashed past Creech； and thundered up the road。 It was all Lucy
could do to break his gait at the first steep rise。
CHAPTER IV
Three wild…horse hunters made camp one night beside a little stream in the
Sevier Valley； five hundred miles； as a crow flies； from Bostil's Ford。
These hunters had a poor outfit； excepting； of course； their horses。 They were
young men； rangy in build； lean and hard from life in the saddle； bronzed like
Indians； still…faced； and keen…eyed。 Two of them appeared to be tired out； and
lagged at the camp…fire duties。 When the meager meal was prepared they sat；
cross…legged； before a ragged tarpaulin； eating and drinking in silence。
The sky in the west was rosy； slowly darkening。 The valley floor billowed
away； ridged and cut； growing gray and purple and dark。 Walls of stone； pink
with the last rays of the setting sun； inclosed the valley； stretching away
toward a long； low； black mountain range。
The place was wild； beautiful； open； with something nameless that made the
desert different from any other country。 It was； perhaps； a loneliness of vast
stretches of valley and stone； clear to the eye； even after sunset。 That black
mountain range； which looked close enough to ride to before dark； was a
hundred miles distant。
The shades of night fell swiftly； and it was dark by the time the hunters
finished the meal。 Then the campfire had burned low。 One of the three dragged
branches of dead cedars and replenished the fire。 Quickly it flared up； with
the white flame and crackle characteristic of dry cedar。 The night wind had
risen； moaning through the gnarled； stunted cedars near by； and it blew the
fragrant wood…smoke into the faces of the two hunters； who seemed too tired to
move。
〃I reckon a pipe would help me make up my mind；〃 said one。
〃Wal； Bill；〃 replied the other； dryly； 〃your mind's made up； else you'd not
say smoke。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because there ain't three pipefuls of thet precious tobacco left。〃
〃Thet's one apiece； then。 。 。 。 Lin； come an' smoke the last pipe with us。〃
The tallest of the three； he who had brought the firewood； stood in the bright
light of the blaze。 He looked the born rider； light； lithe； powerful。
〃Sure； I'll smoke；〃 he replied。
Then； presently； he accepted the pipe tendered him； and； sitting down beside
the fire； he composed himself to the enjoyment which his companions evidently
considered worthy of a decision they had reached。
〃So this smokin' means you both want to turn back？〃 queried Lin； his sharp
gaze glancing darkly bright in the glow of the fire。
〃Yep； we'll turn back。 An'； Lordy！ the relief I feel！〃 replied one。
〃We've been long comin' to it； Lin； an' thet was for your sake；〃 replied the
other。
Lin slowly pulled at his pipe and blew out the smoke as if reluctant to part
with it。 〃Let's go on；〃 he said； quietly。
〃No。 I've had all I want of chasin' thet damn wild stallion；〃 returned Bill；
shortly。
The other spread wide his hands and bent an expostulating look upon the one
called Lin。 〃We're two hundred miles out；〃 he said。 〃There's only a little
flour left in the bag。 No coffee！ Only a little salt！ All the hosses except
your big Nagger are played out。 We're already in strange country。 An' you know
what we've heerd of this an' all to the south。 It's all canyons； an'
somewheres down there is thet awful canyon none of our people ever seen。 But
we've heerd of it。 An awful cut…up country。〃
He finished with a conviction that no one could say a word against the common
sense of his argument。 Lin was silent； as if impressed。
Bill raised a strong； lean； brown hand in a forcible gesture。 〃We can't ketch
Wildfire！〃
That seemed to him； evidently； a more convincing argument than his comrade's。
〃Bill is sure right； if I'm wrong； which I ain't；〃 went on the other。 〃Lin；
we've trailed thet wild stallion for six weeks。 Thet's the longest chase he
ever had。 He's left his old range。 He's cut out his band； an' left them； one
by one。 We've tried every trick we know on him。 An' he's too smart for us。
There's a hoss！ Why； Lin； we're all but gone to the dogs chasin' Wildfire。 An'
now I'm done； an' I'm glad of it。〃
There was another short silence； which presently Bill opened his lips to
break。
〃Lin； it makes me sick to quit。 I ain't denyin' thet for a long time I've had
hopes of ketchin' Wildfire。 He's the grandest hoss I ever laid eyes on。 I
reckon no man； onless he was an Arab； ever seen as good a one。 But now； thet's
neither here nor there。 。 。 。 We've got to hit the back trail。〃
〃Boys； I reckon I'll stick to Wildfire's tracks；〃 said Lin； in the same quiet
tone。
Bill swore at him； and the other hunter grew excited and concerned。
〃Lin Slone； are you gone plumb crazy over thet red hoss？〃
〃Ireckon；〃 replied Slone。 The working of his throat as he swallowed could be
plainly seen by his companions。
Bill looked at his ally as if to confirm some sudden understanding between
them。 They took Slone's attitude gravely and they wagged their heads
doubtfully； as they might have done had Slone just acquainted them with a
hopeless and deathless passion for a woman。 It was significant of the nature
of riders that they accepted his attitude and had consideration for his
feelings。 For them the situation subtly changed。 For weeks they had been three
wild…horse wranglers on a hard chase after a valuable stallion。 They had
failed to get even close to him。 They had gone to the limit of their endurance
and of the outfit； and it was time to turn back。 But Slone had conceived that
strange and rare longing for a horsea passion understood； if not shared； by
all riders。 And they knew that he would catch Wildfire or die in the attempt。
From that moment their attitude toward Slone changed as subtly as had come the
knowledge of his feeling。 The gravity and gloom left their faces。 It seemed
they might have regretted what they had said about the futility of catching
Wildfire。 They did not want Slone to see or feel the hopelessness of his task。
〃I tell you； Lin；〃 said Bill； 〃your hoss Nagger's as good as when we started。〃
〃Aw； he's better；〃 vouchsafed the other rider。 〃Nagger needed to lose some
weight。 Lin； have you got an extra set of shoes for him？〃
〃No full set。 Only three left；〃 replied Lin； soberly。
〃Wal； thet's enough。 You can keep Nagger shod。 An' MEBBE thet red stallion
will get sore feet an' go lame。 Then you'd stand a chance。〃
〃But Wildfire keeps travelin' the valleysthe soft ground；〃 said Slone。
〃No matter。 He's leavin' the country； an' he's bound to strike sandstone
sooner or later。 Then； by gosh！ mebbe he'll wear off them hoofs。〃
〃Say； can't he ring bells offen the rocks？〃 exclaimed Bill。 〃Oh； Lordy！ what a
hoss！〃
〃Boys； do you think he's leavin' the country？〃 inquired Slone； anxiously。
〃Sure he is；〃 replied Bill。 〃He ain't the first stallion I've chased off the
Sevier range。 An' I know。 It's a stallion thet makes for new country； when you
push him hard。〃
〃Yep； Lin； he's sure leavin'；〃 added the other comrade。 〃Why； he's traveled a
bee…line for days！ I'll bet he's seen us many a time。 Wildfire's about as
smart as any man。 He was born wild； an' his dam was born wild； an' there you
have it。 The wildest of all wild creaturesa wild stallion； with the
intelligence of a man！ A grand hoss； Lin； but one thet'll be hell； if you ever
ketch him。 He has killed stallions all over the Sevier range。 A wild stallion
thet's a killer！ I never liked him for thet。 Could he be broke？〃
〃I'll break him；〃 said Lin Slone； grimly。 〃It's gettin' him thet's the job。
I've got patience to break a hoss。 But patience can't catch a streak of
lightnin'。〃
〃Nope； you're right；〃 replied Bill。 〃If you have some luck you'll get
himmebbe。 If he wears out his feet； or if you crowd him into a narrow
canyon； or ran him into a bad place where he can't get by you。 Thet might
happen。 An' then； with Nagger； you stand a chance。 Did you ever tire thet
hoss？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃An' how fur did you ever run him without a break？ Why； when we ketched thet
sorrel last year I rod