back to see Joel Creech holding a limp lasso. He had tried to rope the
King.

The blood of her father was aroused in Lucy. She thought of the
horse--not herself. If the King had not been so keen-sighted, so swift,
he would have gone down with a broken leg. Lucy never in her life had
been so furious.

Joel shook his fist at her and yelled, "I'd 'a' got you--on any other
hoss!"

She did not reply, though she had to fight herself to keep from pulling
her gun and shooting at him. She guided the running horse back into the
trail, rapidly leaving Creech out of sight.

"He's gone crazy, that's sure," said Lucy. "And he means me harm!"

She ran the King clear up to the corrals, and he was still going hard
when she turned down the lane to the barns. Then she pulled him in.

Farlane was there to meet her. She saw no other riders and was glad.

"Wal, Miss Lucy, the King sure looks good," said Farlane, as she jumped
off and flung him the bridle. "He's just had about right, judgin'....
Say, girl, you're all pale! Oh, say, you wasn't scared of the King,
now?"

"No," replied Lucy, panting.

"Wal, what's up, then?" The rider spoke in an entirely different voice,
and into his clear, hazel eyes a little dark gleam shot.

"Joel Creech waylaid me out in the sage--and--and tried to catch me."
Lucy checked herself. It might not do to tell how Joel had tried to
catch her.

"He did? An' you on the King!" Farlane laughed, as if relieved. "Wal,
he's tried thet before. Miss Lucy. But when you was up on the
gray--thet shows Joel's crazy, sure."

"He sure is. Farlane, I--I am mad!"

"Wal, cool off, Miss Lucy. It ain't nothin' to git set up about. An'
don't tell the old man."

"Why not?" demanded Lucy.

"Wal, because he's in a queer sort of bad mood lately. It wouldn't be
safe. He hates them Creeches. So don't tell him."

"All right, Farlane, I won't. Don't you tell, either," replied Lucy,
soberly.

"Sure I'll keep mum. But if Joel doesn't watch out I'll put a crimp in
him myself."

Lucy hurried away down the lane and entered the house without meeting
any one. In her room she changed her clothes and lay down to rest and
think.

Strangely enough, Lucy might never have encountered Joel Creech out in
the sage, for all the thought she gave him. Her mind was busy with the
crippled rider. Who was he? Where was he from? What strange passion he
had shown over the recovery of that wonderful red horse! Lucy could not
forget the fee