anne seemed lifted out of his usual lethargy,
and, widemouthed, was pulling Allis out of the saddle.

"Curse the brute!" gasped Porter, burying his knees in the saddle flaps,
and searching for the dangling stirrup with the toe of his right foot.
Once he almost had it, but missed; the iron, swinging viciously, caught
Diablo in the flank--it made little difference, his terror was complete.
All the time Porter was kneading the dangling reins back through
forefinger and thumb, shortening his hold for a strong pull at the
galloping brute's head.

"Who-o-o-a-h, who-o-o-ah, stead-y!" and, bracing himself against the
pummel he swung the weight of his shoulders on the reins. As well might
he have pulled at the rock of Gibraltar. Diablo's head was up, his teeth
set hard and the man's strength was as nothing against the full-muscled
neck of the big horse. Diablo was cutting down the lead the other two
held over him, galloping like a demon. Porter felt that he must loosen
the bit and throw that set head down to get command of the horse. One
fierce yank to the right and the black head swayed a trifle; another to
the left and--God in heaven! the rein snapped, and its loose end came
back, slashing the rider across the face. He reeled with the recoil,
nearly bringing Diablo to his knees with the sudden swing of weight on
the right rein. Porter's brain jerked foolishly for an instant; then he
was the trained horseman again, and had let the remaining leather slip
through his fingers a trifle.

"Go on!" he shouted to those in front; "go on--give me a lead! Hang to
the course!"

He realized now that the crazed brute under him must run himself out.
All he could do was to sit tight and wait till Diablo had raced himself
to a standstill. To use the one rein meant a crash into the rail, and
surely death. Before, he had thought only of the horse's welfare; now
it was a matter of his own life. All that remained to him was to keep a
cool head, a steady nerve, and wait.

Freed of restraint, not battled with, the Black's stride lengthened, his
nostrils spread wider, the hoofs pounded quicker and quicker until the
earth echoed with their palpitating beat. The other horses heard the
turmoil, and they, too, became more afraid, and took up the mad rush.

Diablo's reaching nose was at Lauzanne's hip when Allis took one swift
backward glance. She saw the dangling rein, the set look in her father's
face, the devil eyes of the horse, and for one brea