s
attendant, assisting the limping Johnson into the saddle. And that
closed the incident. Presently all were riding along again, with
Johnson, wincing under internal distress, holding his reins more loosely
than before.

But it was not without its good. As on that other occasion in the
corral, Pat had learned something. He had measured a man, and he knew,
and knew that the man knew, that he had come off victor. But it gave him
no secret gratification. He continued to trot along, holding steadily to
the gait, subtly aware of the slackened rein and of the wrenched and
loosened girdle, until, with the coming of noon, the blessed relief from
the weight of the man, the ill-fitting saddle, and the over-tight girth,
came also an agreeable surprise. He was turned out to graze without
hobble or tether, and for this consideration he felt faint glimmerings
of respect for his new master. Making free at first with the other
horses, he set off to enjoy to the full his new-found liberty.

But as he pursued ever farther the elusive vegetation in the joy of
freedom, he presently awoke to his great distance from camp, and,
indeed, from the other horses. Conscious of a sudden gripping loneliness
and a certain apprehension, he began to retrace his way. As he did so,
out of the silence came a nasty whirring sound, and suddenly he felt a
rope settle over his head. Surprise, then anger, displaced his
loneliness and apprehension; he jerked back to escape the rope. But it
held fast. He braced his legs and began to pull steadily. But the harder
he pulled the worse the rope choked him. Finally he ceased all effort
and turned his eyes along the rope. At the far end stood the little
mare, legs braced in the sand, and astride her, stolid and grim, and
with eyes narrowed, the figure of the large man. At sight of him Pat
began to pull again, more through ugliness now than desire to escape,
until he found that he was dragging the little gray out of her stiffened
hold. Then he slackened off. Also, as she wheeled back toward camp, he
set out amiably after her. In camp he found his young friend scattering
and deadening the coals of the camp-fire, and the little man making up
the saddle-bags. This told him that the journey was to be resumed, and
he stood quiet and peaceful as he was being bridled and saddled, and
afterward he trotted along under the guidance of his master without show
of anger or rebellion. Indeed, though the sun was hot, and the unmarked