ell at this distance," replied Henry, "but it's more likely that
they belong to the party of Alvarez, and perhaps they know that wild
horses frequent this prairie and others hereabouts. See what they are
doing!"

Paul saw well enough, One man carrying on his arm a coll of rope, the
lariat of Mexico, lay down in the long grass which completely hid him, but
both Henry and Paul knew that he was creeping forward inch by inch toward
the beautiful stallion that was grazing not ten yards from the woods.

"When he comes close enough, if he can do so before the horse takes the
alarm," said Henry, "he will throw the rope and catch the horse by the
neck in the running noose at the end."

"But the horse will take alarm," said Paul hopefully.

"I don't know," said Henry. "He may think in his horse mind that one enemy
in one day is as much as he has need to dread."

It seemed that Henry was right. Exultant in his victory over the cougar,
the Prairie King had relaxed his vigilance. More often now his head was
down, cropping the grass like the rest of the herd. Henry and Paul
believed that they could see the grass rippling as the new and more
cunning enemy crept forward. But it was only agile fancy--they were too
far away.

"What ever happens it's bound to happen soon," said Henry.

Even as he spoke the man in the grass sprang to his feet, threw forth his
right arm, and the rope shot out like a snake uncoiling itself as it
sprang. Both Paul and Henry felt a pang when they saw the loop enclose the
neck of the noble horse, while the man himself and his comrades uttered
loud shouts of exultation.

"He has caught him!" exclaimed Paul sadly.

"Yes," said Henry, "and I'm sorry, but it was a wonderful feat of skill
and patience!"

The frightened herd ran away, and the white stallion reared and struggled,
his great eyes red and distended with rage and astonishment. Two men ran
forward and seized the rope which their comrade had thrown so skillfully.
Then the three pulled hard.

But the quarry was too magnificent. They had miscalculated the white
stallion's strength. Caught by the neck, he dragged, nevertheless, all
three over the prairie, and then, suddenly making a mighty lunge, tore the
rope from their grasp, leaving them thrown headlong to the earth. Away he
went, the long rope flying out behind him like a streamer.

Doubtless some failure of the noose to draw tightly around his neck had
saved the horse, and this was proved wh