tire the black stallion, he intended to ride him down by
circling. In circling, the pursuer rides toward the pursued from an
angle, gradually forcing his quarry into a circular course whose
diameter narrows with every turn.

This, however, was a trick Black Eagle had long ago learned to block.
Sure of his superior speed he galloped away in a line straight as an
arrow's flight, paying no heed at all to the manner in which he was
followed. Before midnight he had rejoined his band, while far off on the
prairie was a lone cowboy moodily frying bacon over a sage-brush fire.

But this pursuer was no faint heart. Late the next day he was sighted
creeping cunningly up to windward. Again there was a race, not so long
this time, for the day was far spent, but with the same result.

When for the third time there came into view this same lone cowboy,
Black Eagle was thoroughly aroused to the fact that this persistent
rider meant mischief. Having once more led the cowboy a long and
fruitless chase the great black gathered up his band and started south.
Not until noon of the next day did he halt, and then only because many
of the mares were in bad shape. For a week the band was moved on. During
intervals of rest a sharp lookout was kept. Watering places, where an
enemy might lurk, were approached only after the most careful scouting.

Despite all caution, however, the cowboy finally appeared on the
horizon. Unwilling to endanger the rest of the band, and perhaps wishing
a free hand in coping with this evident Nemesis, Black Eagle cantered
boldly out to meet him. Just beyond gun range the stallion turned
sharply at right angles and sped off over the prairie.

There followed a curious chase. Day after day the great black led his
pursuer on, stopping now and then to graze or take water, never allowing
him to cross the danger line, but never leaving him wholly out of sight.
It was a course of many windings which Black Eagle took, now swinging
far to the west to avoid a ranch, now circling east along a water-course,
again doubling back around the base of a mesa, but in the main going
steadily northward. Up past the brown Maricopas they worked, across the
turgid Gila, skirting Lone Butte desert; up, up and on until in the
distance glistened the bald peaks of Silver range.

Never before did a horse play such a dangerous game, and surely none
ever showed such finesse. Deliberately trailing behind him an enemy bent
on taking either his