A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



den. They wus so still you could hear 'em breathe. 

 I guess we must a-bin three feet ahead, with a hun- 

 dred yards to go. Split was a-cussin' an' spurrin', 

 an' whippin'. I didn't hev no mind to yell in all thet 

 stillness, I wus ready to spur, ready to whip, an' my 

 heart wus a-bleedin'. I don't think now thet I could 

 a-done it to win, an' I jest whispered, 'Now, Stud! 

 Now! Now!' 



"I thought he wus a-runnin' a-fore, but he shot out 

 like a cry o' joy when a los' child is foun'; an' we 

 crossed the line a length an' a half ahead. I seed 

 the black-eyed girl with her arms 'round Pop Sellers' 

 neck an' a-jumpin' up an' down. Pop wus jumpin' 

 too, like a yearlin', an' the crowd wus doin' an Injun 

 dance generally. Stud didn't seem to sense the race 

 wus over, an' wus still hittin' the breeze. I checked 

 him In slow, pattin' him on the neck, an' talkin' to 

 him like a crazy man, 'til he stood still, all a-quiver, 

 his nostrils red as fire an' eyes still blazin'. Then I 

 clum down an' throwed my arms 'roun' his neck and 

 ses, 'God A'mighty, Stud, I didn't hev to hit you.' 

 Stud's eyes seemed to softin' an' he laid his head 

 down over my shoulder. I wus cryin' like a baby, 

 huggin' him hard. The boys wus ridin' to us an' 

 Stud raised his head an' whinnied. I guess it wus 

 jest the other bosses comin', but I thought he sed, 

 'Didn't we raise hell with 'em?' An' I ses, 'You bet 

 we did, Stud, but it wus you done it' 



"News travels fast, an' long 'fore I got in with 



[225] 



