convince the black colt that men were not cruel brutes, and that he,
Hartigan, was the gentlest and kindest of them all. And this he did by
being much with him, by soft talking, by never being abrupt, and by
bringing him favourite food. Not in a stable--it was a month before the
wild horse would consent to enter a stable--this first period of
training was all in a corral. Then came the handling. Midnight was very
apt to turn and kick when first a hand was laid on him, but he learned
to tolerate, and then to love the hand of his master; and when this
treatment was later reinforced with a currycomb, the sensation pleased
him mightily. The bridle next went on by degrees--first as a halter,
then as a hackimore, last complete with bit. The saddle was the next
slow process--a surcingle, a folded blanket and cinch, a double blanket
and cinch, a bag of oats and cinch and, finally, the saddle and rider.
It was slow, but it was steadily successful; and whenever the black
colt's ears went back or his teeth gave a rebellious snap, Jim knew he
was going too fast, and gently avoided a clash. Never once did he fight
with that horse; and before three months had passed, he was riding the
tall black colt; and the colt was responding to his voice and his touch
as a "broken" horse will never do.

"Yes," said Kyle, "I know all about that. It costs about twenty-five
dollars to learn a horse that way, and it costs about five dollars to
break him cowboy way. An average horse is worth only about twenty-five
dollars. The cowboy way is good enough for our job, so I don't see any
prospect of change till we get a price that will justify the
'training.'"

Belle was an intensely interested spectator of all this Midnight
chapter. She wanted Jim to get a good horse that he would love, but oh,
how she prayed and hoped he would not happen on another speeder! She
knew quite well that it was about one chance in ten thousand; but she
also knew that Jim could make a good horse out of mediocre material; and
it was with anxiety just the reverse of his that she watched the black
colt when first they rode together. He was strong and hard, but, thank
heaven, she thought, showed no sign of racing blood.

"Of course, he'll come up a little later, when I get him well in hand,"
Jim explained apologetically.

And Belle added, "I hope not."

"Why?" asked Jim in surprise.

"Because, you might ride away from me." And she meant it.

CHAPTER XXXIII

The So