ed them, and provoked a
response which showed that the wild musicians were playing on instincts
and impulses that are as wide as humanity.

Most horsemen like to keep their training ground in some sort private;
but the garrison had given up all attempts at that, so far as Blazing
Star and Red Rover were concerned. Every one knew, every one was
interested, and each day there was an eager crowd waiting to feast their
eyes on the two splendid racers. And they were well worth it. Even Jim
had to acknowledge that Blazing Star was looking better now than ever
before.

"Look at that neck, Belle, see how it arches, see the clean limbs; isn't
he trained to perfection? If I only--if----" then he stopped himself.

As he fondly watched the horse with glowing eyes, he said: "Of course,
we don't know anything at all about where or how he was bred, but I
should say that that is a blood Kentucky, nearly pure--Kentucky gold
dust."

Among the spectators were the two Indian Chiefs in their warpaint--Red
Cloud of the Sioux, and Howling Bull of the Cheyennes. They spoke little
to each other, for neither knew the other's tongue; but they made little
gestures of the sign language, and any keen observer knowing it could
catch the ideo-signs: "Good, good; by and by; we see good race; brave,
swift," and so on. Later: "Yes, after one sleep. Rain heap, yes."

Jim watched them closely. "See that, Belle? he says: 'To-morrow it rain
heap,' I wonder how he knows. They call the Fourth of July the Big Wet
Sunday, because it usually rains then. I wonder how it will affect the
race."

"Jim, you said they had shod the buckskin cayuse in expectation of a wet
track."

"Yes; that's a mystery; how can they tell? The air is full of rumours,
anyway. Chamreau says that Red Cloud has been seeking everywhere for
fast horses. He had a man go as far as Omaha and another to Denver. Some
say he did pick up a racer, a half-blooded Kentucky--some that he had
got a wonderful pinto cayuse from Cheyenne; this latter is the more
persistent rumour, though Chamreau says he can't find any one who has
actually seen one or the other. Anyhow, no one knows what their entry
will be. We have a pretty good idea of ours"; and Hartigan smiled
proudly.

The two chiefs, with their followers, conversed earnestly, and with much
gesture. They looked and pointed at the Crow camp and the rain sign came
in many times, and emphatically. The old feud between the Sioux and the
Crows had