rse stretched itself into a gallop,
and headed straight for that craggy thirty-foot wall. He would break in
red ruin at the base of it if he could but dash forever the life of this
man, who claimed mastery over that which had never found its master yet.

The great haunches gathered under it, the eager hoofs drummed the grass,
as faster and still more fast the frantic horse bore himself and his
rider toward the wall. Would Nigel spring off? To do so would be to bend
his will to that of the beast beneath him. There was a better way than
that. Cool, quick and decided, the man swiftly passed both whip and
bridle into the left hand which still held the mane. Then with the right
he slipped his short mantle from his shoulders and lying forward along
the creature's strenuous, rippling back he cast the flapping cloth over
the horse's eyes.

The result was but too successful, for it nearly brought about the
downfall of the rider. When those red eyes straining for death were
suddenly shrouded in unexpected darkness the amazed horse propped on its
forefeet and came to so dead a stop that Nigel was shot forward on to
its neck and hardly held himself by his hair-entwined hand. Ere he had
slid back into position the moment of danger had passed, for the horse,
its purpose all blurred in its mind by this strange thing which had
befallen, wheeled round once more, trembling in every fiber, and tossing
its petulant head until at last the mantle had been slipped from its
eyes and the chilling darkness had melted into the homely circle of
sunlit grass once more.

But what was this new outrage which had been inflicted upon it? What was
this defiling bar of iron which was locked hard against its mouth? What
were these straps which galled the tossing neck, this band which spanned
its chest? In those instants of stillness ere the mantle had been
plucked away Nigel had lain forward, had slipped the snaffle between the
champing teeth, and had deftly secured it.

Blind, frantic fury surged in the yellow horse's heart once more at this
new degradation, this badge of serfdom and infamy. His spirit rose high
and menacing at the touch. He loathed this place, these people, all and
everything which threatened his freedom. He would have done with them
forever; he would see them no more. Let him away to the uttermost parts
of the earth, to the great plains where freedom is. Anywhere over
the far horizon where he could get away from the defiling bit and