o tricks,
rode without any flourishes. But the perfect poise of his lithe body as
it gave with the motions of the horse, proclaimed him a born rider; so
finished, indeed, that his very ease seemed to discount the performance.
Steamboat had a malevolent red eye that glared hatred at the oppressor
man, and to-day it lived up to its reputation of being the most vicious
and untamed animal on the frontier. But, though it did its best to
unseat the rider and trample him underfoot, there was no moment when the
issue seemed in doubt save once. The horse flung itself backward in a
somersault, risking its own neck in order to break its master's. But
he was equal to the occasion; and when Steamboat staggered again to its
feet Bannister was still in the saddle. It was a daring and magnificent
piece of horsemanship, and, though he was supposed to be a desperado
and a ruffian, his achievement met with a breathless gasp, followed by
thunderous applause.

The battle between horse and man was on again, for the animal was as
strong almost in courage as the rider. But Steamboat's confidence had
been shaken as well as its strength. Its efforts grew less cyclonic.
Foam covered its mouth and flecked its sides. The pitches were easy to
foresee and meet. Presently they ceased altogether.

Bannister slid from the saddle and swayed unsteadily across the arena.
The emergency past, he had scarce an ounce of force left in him. Jim
McWilliams ran out and slipped an arm around his shoulders, regardless
of what his friends might think of him for it.

"You're all in, old man. Y'u hadn't ought to have ridden, even though
y'u did skin us all to a finish."

"Nonsense, Mac. First place goes to y'u or--or Jack Holloway."

"Not unless the judges are blind."

But Bannister's prediction proved true. The champion, Sanford, had been
traveling with a Wild West show, and was far too soft to compete with
these lusty cowboys, who had kept hard from their daily life on the
plains. Before he had ridden three minutes it was apparent that he stood
no chance of retaining his title, so that the decision narrowed itself
to an issue between the two Bannisters and McWilliams. First place was
awarded to the latter, the second prize to Jack Holloway and the third
to Ned Bannister.

But nearly everybody in the grand stand knew that Bannister had been
discriminated against because of his unpopularity. The judges were
not local men, and had nothing to fear from the outlaw