she
could never permit herself--and he recalled her words now with rankling
bitterness--to care for in the way he wanted her to care for him.
Knowing that Pat was gone from him, and gone in such ignoble fashion, he
knew that he never could face the horse's mistress again. This was
bitterest of all! For a time he gave way to despair.

Presently he awoke to a sense of stern responsibility. The horse had
been delivered. Miguel had safely delivered him. It was all up to him
then, Stephen, and to nobody else. He alone was responsible, and it was
his duty to get Pat back. Out of his self-doubting this realization came
with a sense of comfort. His course now lay clearly before him. He would
get the horse back! He _must_ get him back! There was nothing else
left for him. For if he ever expected to return to Helen, and this was
his life's hope, he must return to her with the horse. He could return
to her in no other way.

He saw the difficulties. This was a large country, and he knew but very
little of its activities. He recalled what the Judge had intimated--that
the character of the thieves was such as to offer no encouragement of
successful pursuit to any but men schooled to the country and the habits
of the thieves. Yet against this and in his favor was the widespread
reputation of Pat, and that certainly ought to be of some help in his
pursuit. But, difficult or easy--take a month or a year--take five
years--he would get Pat and return him to his mistress! The Judge had
spoken of range police. Why couldn't he enlist with these men, enlist in
any capacity, and accompany them till such time as he should learn the
country well enough to venture out alone if necessary in his quest? At
any rate, he would have a talk with the Judge--would see him early in
the morning. He arose to his feet. The thing was settled in his mind.
Also for the first time in his life his view had an object. He would go
forth into life, get that which it withheld from him, bring it back and
place it before the woman of his choice.

And now, so great is the power, so prompt the reward, of energy rightly
applied, he found himself whistling as he began to toss wearing-apparel
into a traveling-bag.

CHAPTER XIII

IN THE WASTE PLACES

Pat well knew that this new experience was a strange thing. The trip
with the hostler, the unusual hour of day, the appearance of his
mistress's friend, the stranger out of the night, the hurried departure
from th