rebel, despite his twisted ears. But he could not withstand the
increased pain, and he permitted the thing to be made secure with straps
around his body. And now came a heavier something, a free and loose
weight, something with spring and give to it, and which had flung up
from the ground. And suddenly, flaying his pained senses, understanding
flashed upon him. This was a man. There was a tormentor upon his back,
gripping the thing in his mouth, holding him solidly to the ground. He--

"Go!"

It was a word of command. With the word Pat felt his ears released. As
he thrilled with relief the cloth was jerked off his eyes. For a time
the fierce daylight blinded him. Then the pupils of his eyes contracted
and all objects stood out clearly again--the men in the corral, the
spectators on the fence, his mistress outside the fence. Also he saw the
sunlit stable, and Miguel in the doorway, and the house in the trees.
All had come back to him, and he stood gazing about him blinkingly,
trying to understand, conscious of straps binding his body and
restraining his breathing.

Then suddenly he understood--remembered--remembered that he had been
abused, had been tortured as never before. And he awoke to the fact that
he was still being tortured. There was this thing in his mouth. There
was this contraption on his head. There was that thing on his back, and
the weight upon the thing. Also, there was that binding of his belly,
and the irritation due to the prickly something pressing his back and
sides. All these facts stung him, and under the whip of them he awoke to
a mighty urging within. It was his fighting spirit rekindling--the thing
that was his birthright, the thing come down to him from his ancestors,
the thing that told him to rebel against the unnatural. And heeding
this, voice, heeding it because he knew no other, he decided to give
decisive battle.

In a frenzy of effort he suddenly reared. He pirouetted on hind legs;
pawed the air with fore legs; lost his balance. Failing to recover
himself, he went over backward. He struck the earth resoundingly, but he
realized that the weight was gone, and he felt a faint glow of victory!

"Wow!" yelled a spectator, excitedly.

Pat heard this and hastily regained his feet. And because he was
uncertain of his next move he remained motionless. This was a mistake,
as he soon discovered. For he saw two men leap, grasp both his ears;
felt the dread twist again. So he remained still, an