The Pacing: Mustang* 



rJ'- 



Here was a puzzle. Jo's comrades knew 

 him well and would not have been surprised to 

 see him in a sudden rage attempt to shoot the 

 Stallion down. But Jo had no such mind. 

 During that long week of following he had 

 watched the horse all day at speed and never 

 once had he seen him gallop. 



The horseman's adoration of a noble horse 

 had grown and grown, till now he would as 

 soon have thought of shooting his best mount 

 as firing on that splendid beast. 



Jo even asked himself whether he would take 

 the handsome sum that was offered for the 

 prize. Such an animal would be a fortune in 

 himself to sire a race of pacers for the track. 



But the prize was still at large — the time had 

 come to finish up the hunt. Jo's finest mount 

 was caught. She was a mare of Eastern blood, 

 but raised on the plains. She never would have 

 come into Jo's possession but for a curious weak- 

 ness. The loco is a poisonous weed that grows 

 in these regions. Most stock will not touch it ; 

 but sometimes an animal tries it and becomes 

 addicted to it. It acts somewhat like morphine, 

 but the animal, though sane for long intervals, 



246 



-M4 



ijjv LOCO-WEED 



