Boots and Saddles 249 



the salt sweat from his hand, and nosing 

 him over. 



Then, after giving his nose a final pat, the 

 trooper turned and began descending the 

 mountainside. 



Presently he came riding slowly back to 

 his officer, and the major thought there was 

 a strange look upon his face. 



As soon as he got within speaking dis- 

 tance the officer's wrath broke forth. 



" Why, in the name of the devil, when I 

 send you to do a thing don't you do it? 

 This comes mighty near being insubordina- 

 tion. What kind of a performance did you 

 call that up there anyway? Why didn't 

 you shoot him ? " 



" I couldn't shoot that particular bull, 

 major, if I was to be court-martialed for 

 not doing it," choked the young man. 

 " Why, sir, you do not know what you are 

 asking of me. Major, when that bull was a 

 little fuzzy yellow calf, he used to come up 



