self more and more
alert to every least movement about him, he was steadily becoming keyed
up to a dangerous pitch. Rollicking tumbleweed did not worry him any
more than did the swirling dust-devils. These were things of the desert,
each the complexion of the desert. But not so with scraps of paper.
Their whiteness offered a startling contrast to the others, and,
whisking about frantically, they increased his fears. Then suddenly a
paper struck him, whipped madly across his eyes. It was unexpected, and
for an instant blinded him. Gripping the bit in his teeth, he bolted.

His sudden plunge almost unseated Helen. But, recovering, she braced
herself grimly in the stirrups and pulled mightily on the reins. But she
could not hold him. He increased his speed, if anything, and hurtled
across the desert--head level, ears flat, legs far-reaching. She braced
herself again, flinging back head and shoulders, thrusting her feet far
forward, and continued to pull. But it counted for nothing. Yet she did
not weaken, and under her vigorous striving, coupled with the jolting of
the horse, her tam-o'-shanter flew off, and her hair loosened and fell,
streaming out whippingly behind. And then suddenly, struck with terror
herself, she cried out in terror.

"Pat!" she burst out. "Pat! Pat!"

But the horse seemed not to hear. Thundering madly forward, he appeared
blind as well as fear-stricken, and Helen, suddenly seeing a barb-wire
fence ahead, felt herself go faint, for she had never taken a fence, and
she knew that Pat never had. She must get control of herself again. And
this she did. Stiffening in the stirrups, she gripped a single rein in
both hands and pulled with all her strength. But she could not swerve
the horse. On he plunged for the obstruction, evidently not seeing it.
She screamed again.

"Pat! Pat! Pat!"

But, as before, the horse did not heed. He dashed to the fence. He
hesitated, but only for an instant. Throwing up his head, he rose and
took the fence cleanly. Once on the other side, he resumed his frantic
racing--pounding along in the mountain trail, his course clearly
defined, hurtling madly straight toward town. With the fence safely
cleared, and the way ahead free of vehicles, Helen regained much of her
composure. Settling calmly to the rhythmic movement, she permitted the
horse free rein. Once she reached back to gather up her hair, but the
motion of the horse forbade this. So she fell to watching his splendid
e