planted. The girl leaned forward and
whipped the blind from his red-rimmed eyes.

"There's a good boy!" said Judith coolly. "Buck a little for the lady,
Prince!"

Slowly the great muscles of Prince's leg and shoulder and flank corded.
The trembling passed; he was like a horse carven in bluish granite. He
shook his head a little. Judith, her hand tightening upon the reins,
held his head well up, the severe bit thwarting the attempt to get his
nose down between his forelegs.

Then suddenly, without sign of warning, the horse whirled, leaping far
out to the left, striking with hard hoofs bunched, gathering himself as
he landed, swerving with the quickness of light, plunging again to the
right. And again he stood still. Judith, sitting securely on his
rebellious back, laughed. Her laughter, cool and unafraid, sent a
strange little thrill through Bud Lee--who, with fear in his heart, was
watching her.

"Look out for him now!" he called warningly.

In truth the Prince had not yet begun. He had tried a trick which
would have unseated any but one who rode well. He knew that he had to
do with something more than a rank amateur.

Now he plunged toward the corral, his purpose plain, the one desire in
his heart to crush his rider against the high fence. But Judith's
spurs answered him, and the bit, savage in his jaws, brought him about,
whirling, sidling, striking, bucking as only a strong, fearless,
devil-hearted horse knows how to buck. He doubled up under her; he
rose and fell in a quick series of short jumps which tore and jerked at
her body, which strove to tear her knees away from his sides and break
the grip of her hand on the reins. But it seemed to the men watching
that the girl knew before the horse which way he would jump, that she
knew how to sway her body with his so that she and he were not two
separate beings but just one, moving together in some mad devil's
dance. The Prince, in the midst of the vicious bucking, tried to rear,
seeking to throw himself backward; a quick, sharp blow of a loaded
quirt between his ears brought his forefeet back to earth.

"Can she ride!" whispered Bud Lee. "I want to know!"

Again the maddened Prince reared and again she brought him to earth.
Again he resumed the terribly tearing series of short, sharp bucks.
And still, her hair tumbling, blown about her shoulders, she rode him.

Old Carson was muttering and pulling at his lip nervously. Out of the
corner of