lieved him. They told my father. And
he--my dad--God forgive him! he jumped at that. The village as one
person now believes you sent the boat adrift so Creech's horses could
not cross and you could win the race."

"Lucy, if it wasn't so--so funny I'd be mad as--as--" burst out Slone.

"It isn't funny. It's terrible.... I know who cut those cables. ..
Holley knows.... DAD knows--an', oh, Lin--I--hate--I hate my own
father!"

"My God!" gasped Slone, as the full signification burst upon him. Then
his next thought was for Lucy. "Listen, dear--you mustn't say that," he
entreated. "He's your father. He's a good man every way except when
he's after horses. Then he's half horse. I understand him. I feel sorry
for him.... An' if he's throwed the blame on me, all right. I'll stand
it. What do I care? I was queered, anyhow, because I wouldn't part with
my horse. It can't matter so much if people think I did that just to
help win a race. But if they knew your--your father did it, an' if
Creech's horses starve, why it'd be a disgrace for him--an' you."

"Lin Slone--you'll accept the blame!" she whispered, with wide, dark
eyes on him, hands at his shoulders.

"Sure I will," replied Slone. "I can't be any worse off."

"You're better than all of them--my rider!" she cried, full-voiced and
tremulous. "Lin, you make me love you so--it--it hurts!" And she seemed
about to fling herself into his arms again. There was a strangeness
about her--a glory. "But you'll not take the shame of that act. For I
won't let you. I'll tell my father I was with you when the boat was cut
loose. He'll believe me."

"Yes, an' he'll KILL me!" groaned Slone. "Good Lord! Lucy, don't do
that!"

"I will! An' he'll not kill you. Lin, Dad took a great fancy to you. I
know that. He thinks he hates you. But in his heart he doesn't. If he
got hold of Wildfire--why, he'd never be able to do enough for you. He
never could make it up. What do you think? I told him you hugged and
kissed me shamefully that day."

"Oh, Lucy! you didn't?" implored Slone.

"I sure did. And what do you think? He said he once did the same to my
mother! ... No, Lin, Dad'd never kill you for anything except a fury
about horses. All the fights he ever had were over horse deals. The two
men--he--he--" Lucy faltered and her shudder was illuminating to Slone.
"Both of them--fights over horse trades!"

"Lucy, if I'm ever unlucky enough to meet Bostil again I'll be deaf an'
dumb. An' now y