ngs and bright colors beautiful in the fading sunset light.

When Bostil and, his guests arrived at the corrals, Holley, with
Farlane and other riders, were waiting.

"Boss," said Holley, "Cordts an' his outfit never rid in. They was last
seen by some Navajos headin' for the canyon."

"Thet's good!" ejaculated Bostil, in relief. "Wal boys, look after the
hosses. ... Slone, just turn Wildfire over to the boys with
instructions, an' feel safe."

Farlane scratched his head and looked dubious. "I'm wonderin' how safe
it'll be fer us."

"I'll look after him," said Slone.

Bostil nodded as if he had expected Slone to refuse to let any rider
put the stallion away for the night. Wildfire would not go into the
barn, and Slone led him into one of the high-barred corrals. Bostil
waited, talking with his friends, until Slone returned, and then they
went toward the house.

"I reckon we couldn't get inside Brack's place now," remarked Bostil.
"But in a case like this I can scare up a drink." Lights from the
windows shone bright through the darkness under the cottonwoods. Bostil
halted at the door, as if suddenly remembering, and he whispered,
huskily: "Let's keep the women from learnin' about Sears--to-night,
anyway."

Then he led the way through the big door into the huge living-room.
There were hanging-lights on the walls and blazing sticks on the
hearth. Lucy came running in to meet them. It did not escape Bostil's
keen eyes that she was dressed in her best white dress. He had never
seen her look so sweet and pretty, and, for that matter, so strange.
The flush, the darkness of her eyes, the added something in her face,
tender, thoughtful, strong--these were new. Bostil pondered while she
welcomed his guests. Slone, who had hung back, was last in turn. Lucy
greeted him as she had the others. Slone met her with awkward
constraint. The gray had not left his face. Lucy looked up at him
again, and differently.

"What--what has happened?" she asked.

It annoyed Bostil that Slone and all the men suddenly looked blank.

"Why, nothin'," replied Slone, slowly, "'cept I'm fagged out."

Lucy, or any other girl, could have seen that he, was evading the
truth. She flashed a look from Slone to her father.

"Until to-day we never had a big race that something dreadful didn't
happen," said Lucy. "This was my day--my race. And, oh! I wanted it to
pass without--without--"

"Wal, Lucy dear," replied Bostil, as she faltered. "Nothin'