ony bridle, jerked it violently, and hammered the
lifted head of the dancing mustang with his fist. After several attempts
he succeeded in kicking its ribs. Yeager said nothing, but his eyes
gleamed. In the cow country men interfere rarely when a vicious rider
abuses his mount, but such a man soon finds himself under an unvoiced
ban.

Harrison backed the mustang to a corner, swung to the saddle, and tugged
savagely at the reins. Two minutes later he took the dust again. The
horse had spent the interval in a choice variety of pitching that
included sun-fishing, fence-rowing, and pile-driving.

To Jackson Steve made comment. "Most generally it don't pay to beat up a
horse. A man's liable to get piled, and if he gets tromped on folks
don't go into mourning."

Harrison could not hear the words, but he made a fair guess at their
meaning. He turned toward Yeager with a snarl.

"Got anything to say out loud, young fella?"

"Only that any horse is likely to act that way when it gets its back up.
I wouldn't ride a horse without any spirit."

"Think you can ride this one, mebbe?"

Without speaking Yeager slid down from the fence and approached the
mustang. The animal backed away, muscles a-tremble and eyes full of
fear. Steve's movements were slow, but not doubtful. He stroked the
pony's neck and gentled it. His low voice murmured soft words into the
alert ear cocked back suspiciously. Then, without any haste or
unevenness of motion, he swung up and dropped gently into the saddle.

For an instant the horse stood trembling. Yeager leaned forward and
patted the neck of the colt softly. His soothing voice still comforted
and reassured. Gradually its terror subsided.

"Open the gate," Steve called to Orman.

He rode out to the creosote flats and cantered down the road. A quarter
of an hour later he swung from the saddle beside Threewit.

"Plumb gentle. You can make any horse a devil when you're one yourself."

They were standing in front of the stable. Threewit started to reply,
but the words were taken out of his mouth. From out of the stable strode
Harrison, a cold anger in his eyes.

"That's your opinion, is it?"

Yeager's light blue eyes met his steadily. "You've heard it."

"I've heard other things, too. You're taking boxing lessons. You're
going to need them, my friend."

"The sooner the quicker," answered Steve evenly.

"You'll cut that out, both of you," ordered Threewit curtly. "I'll fire
you both if you