284 The King of the Thundering Herd 



So he fled on, fear growing upon him with 

 each league he left behind. 



Through broad rivers he swam and up 

 their precipitate banks he scrambled and gal- 

 loped away to the north. Surely if he ran 

 far enough in that direction he would reach 

 a land which man had not penetrated. 



Over broad stretches of prairies he fled, 

 and through deep coulees where the trees 

 stood green and inviting. Only when 

 hunger impelled him, did he stop to feed ; 

 only when thirst, that he could not with- 

 stand, gripped his throat did he stop to 

 drink. 



Fear whispered to him in the wings of the 

 wind ; fear spoke to him in the whisper from 

 the sod ; fear murmured in the passing 

 waters of each river ; fear resounded in the 

 very echoes of his own hoofs as he galloped 

 over the plains. The flesh that had been 

 thick upon his ribs left him, and he grew 

 thin and lank. Far into each night he 



