Rattler--"

"And you don't know Billy Louise MacDonald." She wrinkled her nose at
him and turned back to unsaddle Blue. "I really didn't intend to go
back right now," she said, "but seeing you've got your heart set on it,
I suppose we might as well." Then she added: "We're only going as far
as the Cove, anyway; and I really ought to hurry back to look after
Marthy. Charlie Fox and Peter pulled out and left her there all
solitary alone. I've been staying with her since I left here. I told
her we'd be down there, and stay till--further notice."

Billy Louise did not give Ward much opportunity for argument. He was
too awkward with his crutches to keep up with her, and she managed to
be on the move most of the time.

I may as well admit that she was horribly afraid of Rattler, and
horribly afraid that he and Ward would find it out. She did not hurry
much. She took plenty of time to put Ward's saddle on Blue, and when
she finally took her rope and went in after Rattler, who was regarding
her from the corner of the stack where he might run either way, she
wished that Ward was elsewhere--and she did not much care where.

But Ward was anxious, and he stayed where he was by the corner of the
stable and swore in violent undertones because he was condemned to look
on while his Wilhemina took long chances on getting hurt. Not a move
of hers escaped his fear-sharpened eyes, while she went carelessly
close to Rattler, and then, with a quick flip, landed the loop neatly
over his head. Ward would have felt less pleased if he had known how
her heart was thumping. He saw only the whimsical twist of her lips
and thought that she was enjoying a distinctly feminine sense of
triumph at her success.

Billy Louise led Rattler boldly up to where lay her saddle and Ward's
bridle. She hoped she did not look scared, but she was wondering all
the time what Rattler would do when she "piled on"; pile her off,
probably, her pessimism told her, for Billy Louise was no lady
broncho-fighter, for all she rode so well on horses that she knew.
There is a difference.

"Sure you want to tackle him, lady-girl?" Ward asked her, after he had
himself attended to the bridling--since Rattler was touchy about the
head. "Of course, he isn't bad, when you know him; but he's liable to
be pretty snuffy after running out so long. And he never had a woman
on him. You better let me ride him."

"Don't be silly. You couldn't even mount him, with tha