of tears.

The thing _was_ pitiful. The horse had occupied a very big place in
her life. And because that place now was empty, and because she saw no
promise of its ever being filled, she sobbed wretchedly a long time.
Then, rising quietly, she ascended the stairs to her room. Here she sank
into a chair, one that overlooked the corral, and began an analysis of
the case, taking the affair up from the very first day of Pat's coming
into her life. She did not go further than that. Woman that she was,
endowed with strongest intuitions and insight, she knew she had sounded
the mystery of his disappearance, had sounded it as clearly as though
she had been present.

"Pat's rightful owners have found him and put in their claim!" She got
up and began to pace the floor. "I know it," she declared with
conviction. "I know it as well as I know I'm in this room. Pat--Pat has
been--been taken and--and--" Tears choked back her words. Again she
turned to her bed and gave way to a paroxysm of grief.

Her tears lasted until sleep mercifully descended. And thus she lay,
outstretched and disheveled, until the sun, slanting across the room,
settled its mellow rays upon her. And even though the touch was light
and gentle and somehow sympathetic, it awoke her. She rose and hurried
to a window. Out in the corral all was quiet. She dropped into a chair
and turned her eyes to the east--out over the mesa to the distant
mountains. The mountains were draped in their evening purple, which
seemed to her like mourning for her lost happiness--a happiness that
might have been hers always with the horse.

CHAPTER IX

THE SECOND GREAT LESSON

Next morning Pat, imprisoned in a tiny stable, tried to get out by
thrusting his head against the door. But the door would not give. Alone
in semi-darkness, therefore, he spent the day. Twice a Mexican youth
came to feed and water him, but always the quantity was insufficient,
and always the boy carefully locked the door after him. Because of this,
together with the poor ventilation, Pat became irritable. He longed for
the freedom of the big corral--its sunlight, the visits of his
mistress--but these were steadfastly denied him. And so through another
night and another day, until he became well-nigh distracted. He stamped
the floor, fought flies, dozed, dreamed strange dreams, stamped the
floor again. After three days of this, sounds outside told him of the
return of man and horses. But not till the ne