,
surrounded by open-mouthed spectators, outside the fence, gazing down
upon him with seeming approval. This once, but only this once, he felt
dislike for her.

One of the men approached with a halter. Pat had seen these things in
the stable, and he instinctively knew what they were for. But he would
not accept this one. Embittered by his fall, chafing under the weight
upon his head, he struggled so successfully that he finally dislodged
the man. Then he sprang to his feet again, and, trembling in every part,
glared savagely at his tormentors.

"Better give him a twist," quietly suggested the professional.

Pat heard the remark. But he did not understand, and so remained quiet.
Presently he felt a light hand creeping up along his neck, pausing,
patting him, creeping along farther, pausing and patting him again. It
was not unpleasant, and under the soothing influence he came to believe
that his tormentors had experienced a change of attitude. But he was
mistaken. Suddenly his ear was gripped as in a vise. Also, it was
twisted sharply, once, twice, and then held in a relentless grip. He
stood still as death. Up and down his spine, from his ear to his tail,
coursed shrieking pain, hacking him like the agony of a thousand
twisting knives. Under the terror of it he stopped breathing--stopped
till he must breathe or swoon. Then he did take air, in short, faint
gasps, but each gasp at terrible cost. And standing thus, fearing to
move, he accepted the halter. He could do naught else.

The raw-boned assistant turned to Helen apologetically. "Lively hoss,
Miss Richards," he declared. "Reckon we're in for a little exercise."
And he grinned.

Anxiously Helen mounted the fence, standing upon a lower board. "You
won't hurt him, I hope--that is, needlessly! I don't want that, you
know!" And she gazed at Pat with pitiful eyes.

The other laughed. "No; 'tain't that," he hastened to reassure her.
"He's lively--that's all."

The professional looked Pat over speculatively, and again made a
suggestion. "Better blindfold him, Larry," he said.

Pat heard this as he had heard the other. And because he was coming to
know this man's voice, and to interpret it correctly, despite the agony
it cost him he went on his guard, spreading and bracing his legs as
against shock. He did not receive shock, however. Merely a piece of soft
flannel was tucked gently under his halter and drawn carefully over his
eyes. Against the soft pressure of it h