t the strain of her
panting lungs. Her limbs felt cold and numb; but she could not give
up even though she was now convinced that she had thrown her life away
uselessly. They would find her body; but no one would ever guess what
had driven her to her death. Not even he would know that it was for
his sake. And then she felt the tugging of the channel current suddenly
lessen, an eddy carried her gently inshore, her feet touched the sand
and gravel of the bottom.

Gasping for breath, staggering, stumbling, she reeled on a few paces
and then slipped down clutching at the river's bank. Here the water was
shallow, and here she lay until her strength returned. Then she urged
herself up and onward, climbed to the top of the bank with success at
last within reach.

To find the horses now required but a few minutes' search. They stood
huddled in a black mass close to the barbed-wire fence at the extremity
of the pasture. As she approached them they commenced to separate
slowly, edging away while they faced her in curiosity. Softly she
called: "Brazos! Come, Brazos!" until a unit of the moving mass detached
itself and came toward her, nickering.

"Good Brazos!" she cooed. "That's a good pony," and walked forward to
meet him.

The animal let her reach up and stroke his forehead, while he muzzled
about her for the expected tidbit. Gently she worked the hackamore
over his nose and above his ears, and when it was safely in place she
breathed a deep sigh of relief and throwing her arms about his neck
pressed her cheek to his.

"You dear old Brazos," she whispered.

The horse stood quietly while the girl wriggled herself to his back,
and then at a word and a touch from her heels moved off at a walk in the
direction of the ford. The crossing this time was one of infinite ease,
for Barbara let the rope lie loose and Brazos take his own way.

Through the willows upon the opposite bank he shouldered his path,
across the meadow still at a walk, lest they arouse attention, and
through a gate which led directly from the meadow into the ranchyard.
Here she tied him to the outside of the corral, while she went in search
of saddle and bridle. Whose she took she did not know, nor care, but
that the saddle was enormously heavy she was perfectly aware long before
she had dragged it halfway to where Brazos stood.

Three times she essayed to lift it to his back before she succeeded in
accomplishing the Herculean task, and had it been any oth