m he kicked
with both hind feet as if to tear the cinch from his belly. He reared on
his toes and fell backward. He rushed with ferocious cunning against the
corral, forcing his rider to stand in the opposite stirrup, then bucked,
keeping so close to the fence that Mose was forced to hang to his mane
and fight him from tearing his flesh with his savage teeth. Twice he
went down and rolled over, but when he arose Mose was on his back. Twice
he flung himself to the earth, and the second time he broke the bridle
rein, but Mose, catching one piece, kept his head up while he roweled
him till the blood dripped in the dust.

At last, after fifteen minutes of struggle, the broncho again made off
around the track at a rapid run. As he came opposite the judge's stand
Mose swung him around in a circle and leaped to the ground, leaving the
horse to gallop down the track. Dusty, and quivering with fatigue, Mose
walked across the track and took up his coat.

"You earned your money, Mose," said Grassi, as he handed out the roll of
bills.

"I'll think so to-morrow morning, I reckon," replied Mose, and his walk
showed dizziness and weakness.

"You've had the easy end of it," said Dan. "You should have took him
when I did, when he was fresh."

"You didn't stay on him long enough to weaken him any," said Mose in
offensive reply, and Dan did not care to push the controversy any
further.

"That spoils my shooting now," Mose said to Haney. "I couldn't hit the
side of a mule."

"Oh, you'll stiddy up after dinner."

"Good boy!" called the crisp voice of Mrs. Raimon. "Come here, I want to
talk with you."

He could not decently refuse to go to the side of her carriage. She had
with her a plain woman, slightly younger than herself, who passed for
her niece. The two men who came with them were in the judge's stand.

Leaning over, she spoke with sudden intensity. "My God! you mustn't take
such risks--I'm all of a quiver. You're too good a man to be killed by a
miserable bucking broncho. Don't do it again, for my sake--if that don't
count, for _her_ sake."

And he in sudden joy and confidence replied: "That's just why I did it;
for her sake."

Her eyes set in sudden alarm. "What do you mean?"

"You'll know in a day or two. I'm going to quit my job."

"I know," she said with a quick indrawn breath, "you're going away.
Who's that girl I saw you talking with to-day? Is that the one?"

He laughed at her for the first time. "Not by a