t was like the cry of a wolf when they
hunt along the cliffs in winter and see the young horses and the cattle
in the Garden below them. It was a cry, and there was no spoken word in
it."

The master bit his lip.

"Abraham has been talking folly to you," he said; and, springing on the
back of the stallion, he raced out of the patio and on to the south road
with his long, black hair whipping straight out behind his head.

At length the southern wall rose slowly over the trees, and a deep
murmur which had begun about them as soon as they left the house, light
as the humming of bees, increasing as they went down the valley, now
became a great rushing noise. It was like a great wind in sound; one
expected the push of a gale, coming out from the trees, but there was
only the river which ran straight at the cliff, split solid rock, and
shot out of sunlight into a black cavern. Beside this gaping mouth of
rock stood Connor with Shakra beside him. Twice the master called, but
Connor could not hear.

The tumbling river would have drowned a volley of musketry. Only when
David touched his shoulder did Connor turn a gloomy face. They took
their horses across the bridge which passed over the river a little
distance from the cliff, and rode down the farther side of the valley
until the roar sank behind them. A few barriers of trees reduced it to
the humming which on windless days was picked up by echoes and reached
the house of David with a solemn murmur.

"I thought you would rest," said David, when they were come to a place
of quiet, and the horses cantered lightly over the road with that
peculiar stride, at once soft and reaching, which Connor was beginning
to see as the chief characteristic of the Eden Gray.

"I have rested more in two minutes on the back of Shakra than I could
rest in two hours on my bed."

It was like disarming a father by praise of his son.

"She has a gentle gait," smiled David.

"I tell you, man, she's a knockout!"

"A knockout?"

The gambler added hastily: "Next to Glani the best horse I have seen."

"You are right. Next to Glani the best in the valley."

"In the world," said Connor, and then gave a cry of wonder.

They had come through an avenue of the eucalyptus trees, and now they
reached an open meadow, beyond which aspens trembled and flashed silver
under a shock from the wind. Half the meadow was black, half green; for
one of the old men was plowing. He turned a rich furrow behind him