"
"I thought your roan was the most durable horse on the range, Steve.
You've often told me so."
"He is."
"But you couldn't catch--Bard?"
"He was on a faster horse than mine--for a while."
"Well? Isn't he now?'
"I killed the horse."
"You showed your hand, then? He knows you were sent after him?"
"No, he thinks it's because of a woman."
"Is he tangling himself up with some girl?" frowned the rancher.
"He's cutting in on me with Sally Fortune--damn his heart!"
And Nash paled visibly, even through whiskers and mud. The other almost
smiled.
"So soon, Nash?"
"With hosses and women, he don't lose no time."
"What's he done?"
"The first trace I caught of him was at a shack of an old ranchhouse
where he'd traded his lame hoss in. They gave him the wildest mustang
they had--a hoss that was saddle-shy and that hadn't never been ridden.
He busted that hoss in--a little piebald mustang, tougher 'n iron--and
that was why I didn't catch him till we hit Eldara."
The smile was growing more palpable on the face of Drew, and he nodded
for the story to continue.
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