had been rounded up with a bunch of yearlings and calves a dozen
times; but on each occasion had escaped before they got him into the
corral. It was better to let the black rebel go than to lose a dozen or
more of the others while chasing him.

This time, however, Silent Sam had insisted upon riding the rebel down
and hauling him, bawling, into the corral.

But the rope broke, and before the searing-iron could touch the black
steer's rump he went through the fence like a battering-ram.

"Look out for that ornery critter, Miss Frances!" yelled the foreman of
the Bar-T Ranch.

Frances saw him coming, headed for the group of visitors. She touched
Molly with the spur, and the intelligent cow-pony jumped aside into the
clear-way. Frances seized the rope hanging at her saddle.

Pratt had shouted a warning, too. The visitors scattered. But for once
Sue Latrop did not manage her mount to the best advantage.

"Look out, Sue!"

"Quick! He'll have you!"

These and other warnings were shouted. With lowered front the black
steer was charging the horse the girl from Boston rode.

Unlike the trained cow-ponies from Bill Edwards' corral, this gangling
creature did not know, of himself, what to do in the emergency. The
other mounts had taken their riders immediately out of the way. Sue's
horse tossed his head, snorted, and pawed the earth, remaining with his
flank to the charging steer.

"Get out o' that!" yelled Pratt, and laid his quirt across the stubborn
horse's quarters.

But to no avail. Sue could neither manage him nor get out of the saddle
to escape Blackwater. The maverick was fortunately charging the strange
horse from the off side, and he was coming like a shot from a cannon.

The cowpunchers at the pen were mounting their ponies and racing after
the black steer, but they were too far away to stop him. In another
moment he would head into the body of Sue's mount with an awful impact!

CHAPTER XIV

THE CONTRAST

"Frances!"

Pratt Sanderson fairly shrieked the ranch girl's name. He could do
nothing to save Sue Latrop himself, nor could the other visitors from
Amarillo. Silent Sam and his men were too far away.

If with anybody, it lay with Frances Rugley to save the Boston girl.
Frances already had her rope circling her head and Molly was coming on
the jump!

The wicked little black steer was almost upon the gangling Eastern horse
ere Frances stretched forward and let the loop go.

Then she pull