Wildfire

cy rode every day, sometimes with Van, and sometimes alone. She was not over-keen about riding with Van-first, because he was in love with her;

invitation and would come in force, which meant, according to Holley and

sn't been here fer several years. Recollect thet bunch of colts h

. 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

Bostil, had for years formed in a way a club, which gave the Ford distinction. Creech was no longer a friend of Bostil's, but Bostil had alw

in the wide fireplace, for these early

in without answering the laconic greetings accorded

r this here I've got to tell you, to

torted Bostil. But his humor did not harmonize w

ppose I jest s

Bostil. Yet he looked as

I didn't know. Bad men, judgin' from appearances, let a

S!" exclai

Holley appeared suddenly interest

is dead," a

een in Idaho fer two years, in the gold-fields. Said the work was too hard, so he'd come back here. Lau

ed at his

Sears, after all," replied H

camp," ejaculated Bostil, a

gone now,"

. I swear to thet. Why, Cordts couldn't chop into thet log-an'-wire corral if he an'

d he resumed his chair. B

ve anythin' to

the hosses. He bought two big packs of supplies, an' some leather stuff, an', of course, ammunition. Then some whisky.

ll me," sa

ere of a railroad goin' to be built some day, joinin' east an' west. It's intere

ut up an' lumpy as h

t," avowed Bostil. "If thet railroad ever

on-inside of a month or two. 'Brackton,' he said, sharp-like, 'is Bostil goin' to pull a gun on me at sight?' 'Reckon he is,' I told him. 'Wal, I'm not powerful glad to know thet.... I hear Creech's blue hoss will race the King this time. How about it?' 'Sure an' certain this year. I've Creech's an' Bostil's word for thet.' Cordts put his hand on my shoulder. You ought to

ted across B

Cordts fee

n. "Fer a long time you've meant to draw

is mouth opened, drooped strangely at the corners, then shut in a grim, tense line.

wouldn't hurt none to let him come. An' hold your gun hand fer the time he swears he'll be honest. Queer deal, ain't it, men? A hoss-thief turnin' honest jest to see a r

what he's threatened. An' I ain't lettin' him come to bribe a few weeks' decency from him. I'm doin' it for only one rea

Creech. He was a stalwart man, no longer young, with a l

et well, he's in fer heartbreak," sa

d fire flamed in his gaze. The other

-goin' to have any arguments like thet.... Now, B

ve him," re

better get down to the biz

upon which Bostil laid an old and much-

, with animation, "an' then pitch

ently they all looked bla

ain't it?" qu

close as they could ge

d Bostil, in

g in, anxious,

us jump! What on e

o know the date,

care Auntie and me out o

is is important, Lu

ince last Tuesday," a

said Bostil, laboriously writing

you rem

r? I nev

s my birthday-the day you

te was-let's see-April sixth.... Then this is April thirteenth. Much obl

have to straighten out the whole thin

rst. June first-second, an' thir

ed. The old rules were adhered to. Any rider or any Indian could enter any horse in any race, or as many horses as he liked in as many races. But by winning one race he excluded himself from t

any points had to go by vote. Muncie and Williams both had fleet horses to enter in this race; Holley had one; Creech had two; there were sure to be several Indians enter fast mustangs; and Bostil had the King and four others to choose from. Bostil held ou

ating. "Thet's Blue Roan's distance. Thet's

showed him that it was fair to all concerned. Bostil finally acquies

he sitting-room. Creech appeared surprised, yet it was evide

" Bostil asked, tersely,' as if

e-an' FELL out over it?" queried Creech,

again, if you'll se

ry, but

demanded Bostil, brutally. He had no c

, I do," re

. I'll give you five hundred i

had not heard aright. B

eplied

an' throw Plume in with

urned pale and

e. Creech saw that Bostil was desperate. It was an almost overpowering temptation. Evidently Creech

to speak. "Twenty-five hundred a

owned them two racers. Didn't I beg you, a little time back, to lend me a few hundred? To meet thet debt? An' you wouldn't, unless I'd sell the

ssion with the strength. His eyes glinted at the hard

I'm goin' to

many things about Joel Creech, a

life unbearable for him. They had fun out of it as long as Joel showed signs of taking the joke manfully, which was not long, and then his resentment won their contempt. That led to sarcasm on their part and bitter anger on his. It came to Lucy's ears that Joel began to act and talk strangely. She found out that the rider Van had knocked Joel down in Brackton's store and had kicked a gun out of his hand.

for herself what was wrong. Every day when she rode out into the sage she expected to meet

down the river road toward the ford, and, actin

dark, overhanging walls had a depressing effect, upon her. She always felt awe at the gloomy canyon and fear at the strange, murmuring red river. But she started down this a

, hung over the head of the ravine, and Lucy had to force Sarchedon through it. Sarchedon did not mind sand and dust, but he surely hated the smell of sheep. Lucy seldom put a spur to Sarchedon; still, she gave him a lash with her quirt,

n in a stormy season. Lucy had seen boulders weighing a ton go booming down that gorge during one of the sudden fierce desert storms, when a torrent of water and mud and stone went plunging on to the river. The ride through here was short, though slow. Lucy alwa

the shore nearest her, as it was almost directly under her. Besides, in this narrow road, on a spirited horse, she was not inclined to watch the scenery. She hurried Sarchedon down and down, under the overhanging brows of rock, to where the rim sloped out and failed. Here was a half-acre of sand, with a few scant willows, set down seemingly in a dent at the base of the giant, beetling cliffs. The place was light, though the light seemed a kind of veiled red, and to Lucy always ghastly. She could not have been joyous with that river moaning before her, even if it had been up on a level, in the clear and open

were as strenuous as their handling of the sheep. Presently the flock was all crowded on board, the Indians followed, and then the boatmen slid the unwieldy craft off the sand-bar. Then, each manning a clumsy oar, they pulled up-stream. Along shore were whirling, slow eddies, and there rowing was possible. Out in that swift current it would have

his motions, seemed to be trying to prevent his son from leaving the shore. But Joel began to row up-stream, keeping close to the shore. Lucy watched him. No doubt he had seen her and was coming across. Either the prospect of meeting him or the idea of meeting him there in the place where she was never herself made her want to turn at once and ride back home. But her stubborn sense of fairness overruled that. She would hold her ground solely in the hop

kin' fer me?

hand for hi

ard, weak mouth and chin, and eyes remarkable for their small size and piercing quality and different color. For one was gray and the other was ha

him. He did not seem to remember that the stallion had an antipathy for him.

a jerk. Sarchedon went up with a snort and came down pound

said Joel, showing h

ch. You beat him once, and he's

e and drew Joel over to a huge drift-log, half buried in the sand. Here she sat down, but Joel remained standing. His gaze was no

u want?" a

l," replied Lucy, trying to thin

y, and then he sat down on the log and

some of the healthy brown of his cheeks had thinned out. The

appened," he replied, bitterly. "Them ri

said Lucy, earnestly. "After all, the joke W

u stole my clothe

to care about. If you hadn't taken i

that. But they taunted me

tears in his eyes, and her first impulse was to put a hand on his and tell h

asked, presently. Joel hung his head.

ashame

lence ans

her curiosity, back of which was a little heat. "It m

ked me flat," pass

drew a gu

got up. Then he kicked me! ... Bostil's Ford

h Van.... Joel, maybe you deserved what

d pay you back,

ow

' steal your clothes-so you

ut it was not sincerity. His hurt had rankled

spring-holes," protested Lucy, divi

nyhow," said J

onest? Is that all yo

l, Lucy,

y temper and played that trick with your clothes.... If you'd only had sense enough to stay out till after dark! But no use crying over spilt

ryin' small fer me

e pride in him. "Joel, I

is differently colored eyes! "Lucy Bostil, there's been thet done an' said to me which I'll never forgive. I'm no good in Bostil's Ford. Mebbe I never w

hat can I do

lied, suddenly growing pale. But his eyes were like flint

eried Luc

An' it'll square me. Then I'll go back to w

sed agitation. That moment was the last of real

u-even if I am to blame for

hy

I don't l

any difference, if you d

began to shake, and his eyes g

ody else?" he ask

at a strange darkening of his face, an aspect

!" he sai

you're

y infuri

ld man believin' it, too. Mebbe I a

n't love Van. I don't care any more for

lie, Luc

a mind to turn my back on you. I'm trying to

isn't enough. You made me no-

own anything, approaching ridicule for Joel. The effect was remarkable. Like a lash upon a raw wound it made him writhe; but more significant to Lucy w

er and grasped he

ectly motionless. The hard clutch of h

g her back. He talked incoherently. One glim

Joel could not hold Lucy, but he tore her blouse into shreds. It seemed to Lucy that he did that savagely. She broke free from him,

saddle. Joel was running toward her. Blood on his face!

cy, fiercely. "I

touch of spur and came do

ite except where the bloody welts crossed it. His j

r you-an' I'll strip you--an' I'll tie you on a ho

had given precedence to a fury she did not know was in her. For the second time she touched a spur to Sarchedon. He leap