ss without rain.
And as I woke I heard the patter of fine drops on our tent roof. The
old man cursed the weather most eloquently, expressing the general
feeling of the whole company. However, we saddled up and pushed on,
much delayed by the lame horses.

At about twelve o'clock I missed my partner's voice and looking about
saw only two of the packhorses following. Hitching those beside the
trail, I returned to find Burton seated beside the lame horse, which
could not cross the slough. I examined the horse's foot and found a
thin stream of arterial blood spouting out.

"That ends it, Burton," I said. "I had hoped to bring all my horses
through, but this old fellow is out of the race. It is a question now
either of leaving him beside the trail with a notice to have him
brought forward or of shooting him out of hand."

To this partner gravely agreed, but said, "It's going to be pretty
hard lines to shoot that faithful old chap."

"Yes," I replied, "I confess I haven't the courage to face him with
a rifle after all these weeks of faithful service. But it must be
done. You remember that horse back there with a hole in his flank and
his head flung up? We mustn't leave this old fellow to be a prey to
the wolves. Now if you'll kill him you can set your price on the
service. Anything at all I will pay. Did you ever kill a horse?"

Partner was honest. "Yes, once. He was old and sick and I believed it
better to put him out of his suffering than to let him drag on."

"That settles it, partner," said I. "Your hands are already imbued
with gore--it must be done."

He rose with a sigh. "All right. Lead him out into the thicket."

I handed him the gun (into which I had shoved two steel-jacketed
bullets, the kind that will kill a grizzly bear), and took the old
horse by the halter. "Come, boy," I said, "it's hard, but it's the
only merciful thing." The old horse looked at me with such serene
trust and confidence, my courage almost failed me. His big brown eyes
were so full of sorrow and patient endurance. With some urging he
followed me into the thicket a little aside from the trail. Turning
away I mounted Ladrone in order that I might not see what happened.
There was a crack of a rifle in the bush--the sound of a heavy body
falling, and a moment later Burton returned with a coiled rope in his
hand and a look of trouble on his face. The horses lined up again
with one empty place and an extra saddle topping the pony's pack. It