followed Roosevelt to the snubbing-post, where he was tied up for a
period of 'gentling.' The ordinary procedure was to throw such a horse
and have one man sit on his head while another bound a handkerchief
over his eyes. He was then allowed to get on his feet and often made
little resistance while the saddle and bridle were being adjusted. The
rider then mounted and the fireworks began as soon as he jerked the
handkerchief from the horse's eyes.

"Devil had gone through this procedure so often that he knew it by
heart. He had, however, not become accustomed to being 'gentled'
instead of 'busted.' As Roosevelt walked toward him, the horse's fear
of man overcame his dread of the rope, and he surged back until the
noose was strangling him.

"It was half an hour before he allowed Roosevelt to put a hand on his
neck. All this was preliminary to an attempt to blindfolding Devil
without throwing, and at last it was accomplished. He then submitted
to being saddled and bridled, though he shrank from every touch as
though it were a hot iron. The handkerchief was then taken from his
eyes, and he began bucking the empty saddle like a spoiled horse of
the worst type. Every one took a seat on top of the corral fence to
await the time when he had strangled and tired himself to a
standstill. Several times he threw himself heavily by tripping on the
rope or by tightening it suddenly. And at last he gave it up, standing
with legs braced, with heaving flanks and gasping breath.

"Roosevelt walked toward him with a pail of water and the first real
sign that 'gentling' was better than 'busting' was when the wild-eyed
Devil took a swallow; the first time in his life he had accepted a
favor from the hand of man. It was too dangerous to attempt riding in
the corral, and Devil was led out to some bottom-land which was fairly
level; the end of the rope around the horn of Merrifield's saddle and
Sylvane Ferris on another saddle horse ready to urge Devil into a run
as soon as Roosevelt had mounted. A vain attempt at mounting was made,
and finally Devil had to be blindfolded. Then came the mounting, and,
almost instantly with the lifting of the blindfold, Roosevelt was
sprawling in the sagebrush. Somewhat scratched he was, and his teeth
glittered in the way which required a look at his eyes to tell whether
it was a part of a smile or a look of deadly determination. It
required no second glance to know that Devil was going to be ridden or
Roos