r? This is too much!"

The last remarks had relation to more clattering of hoofs. In a moment a
groom was in view, going also at a gallop.

"Hout of the way," cried the groom, to Peter, for Mutineer was waltzing
round the path in a way that suggested "no thoroughfare." "Hi'm after
that runaway."

Peter looked after the first horse, already a hundred feet away. He said
nothing to groom nor horse, but Mutineer understood the sudden change in
the reins, even before he felt that maddening prick of the spurs. There
was a moment's wild grinding of horse's feet on the slippery road and
then Mutineer had settled to his long, tremendous stride.

"Now, I'll show you," he remarked, "but if only he wouldn't hold me so
damned tight." We must forgive Mutineer for swearing. He lived so much
with the stablemen, that, gentleman though he was, evil communications
could not be entirely resisted.

Peter was riding "cool." He knew he could run the mare down, but he
noticed that the woman, who formed the mount, was sitting straight, and
he could tell from the position of her elbows that she was still pulling
on her reins, if ineffectually. He thought it best therefore to let the
mare wind herself before he forced himself up, lest he should only make
the runaway horse the wilder. So after a hundred yards' run, he drew
Mutineer down to the mare's pace, about thirty feet behind her.

They ran thus for another hundred yards. Then suddenly Peter saw the
woman drop her reins, and catch at the saddle. His quick eye told him in
a moment what had happened. The saddle-girth had broken, or the saddle
was turning. He dug his spurs into Mutineer, so that the horse, who had
never had such treatment, thought that he had been touched by two
branding irons. He gave a furious shake of his ears, and really showed
the blood of his racing Kentucky forebears. In fifteen seconds the horse
was running even with the mare.

Peter had intended merely to catch the reins of the runaway, trusting to
his strength to do what a woman's could not. But when he came up
alongside, he saw that the saddle had turned so far that the rider could
not keep her seat ten seconds longer. So he dropped his reins, bent
over, and putting his arms about the woman lifted her off the precarious
seat, and put her in front of him. He held her there with one arm, and
reached for his reins. But Mutineer had tossed them over his head.

"Mutineer!" said Peter, with an inflection of voice de