Side by side they walked to the corral, where she held the lantern while
the Texan stripped off the saddle. "Got a halter? I ain't goin' to turn
him in with the others. They'd nose him out of his oats, or else worry
him so he couldn't eat comfortable."

"Blue's never been in the stable--and he's never eaten oats. He don't
know what they are."

"It's time he learnt, then," he smiled, "but, I don't reckon he'll kick
up any fuss. A horse will do anything you want him to, once you get him
mastered."

"Like women, aren't they?" the girl asked maliciously, as she handed him
the halter.

The Texan adjusted the halter, deftly slipped the bridle from beneath
it, and glanced quizzically into her face: "Think so?" he countered,
"reckon I never run across any that was mastered." At the door of the
stable the horse paused, sniffed suspiciously, and pulled back on the
halter rope. "Just step away with the lantern so he can't see what's
ahead of him, an' he'll come--won't you, Blue?"

"They wouldn't any of them come if they could see what's ahead, would
they?"

The Texan peered into the girl's face but it was deep in the shadows,
"Maybe not," he agreed, "I expect it's a good thing for all of us that
we can't see--what's ahead." The man abruptly transferred his attention
to the horse; gently slapping his neck and pulling playfully at his
twitching ears. His voice dropped into a soothing monotone: "Come on,
you old Blue, you. You old fraud, tryin' to make out like you're afraid.
Come on--take a chance. There's oats, an' hay, an' beddin' a foot thick
in there. An' a good stall to stand in instead of millin' around a
corral all night." The rope slackened, and securing a firm grip on the
halter, the Texan edged slowly toward the door, the horse following with
nervous, mincing steps, and nostrils aquiver. From her place beside the
corral, the girl watched in astonishment as man and horse passed from
sight. From the black interior of the stable the voice of the Texan
sounded its monotonous drone, and presently the man himself appeared and
taking the lantern returned to attend to the horse. Alone in the
darkness, Janet wondered. She knew the big blue roan, and she had
expected a fight. A few minutes later the man reappeared, chuckling:
"He's learnt what oats are," he said, "ate 'em out of my hand, first.
Now he's goin' after 'em like he'd tear the bottom out of the feed box.
I wonder if your Dad would sell Blue? I'll buy him, an' ge