Page 54 (1/1)

It was then that Jane, suddenly understanding Lassiter's feat stared and gasped at the riding of this intrepid man His horse was fleet and tireless, but blind He had pushed the leaders around and around till they were about to turn in on the inner side of the end of that line of steers The leaders were already running in a circle; the end of the herd was still running al Then, when Lassiter had the circle formed, hoould he escape? With Jane Withersteen prayer was as ready as praise; and she prayed for this an to collect Dih a yellow veil, Jane saw Lassiter press the leaders inward to close the gap in the sage She lost sight of hiht she saw the black, riderless now, rear and drag himself and fall Lassiter had been thrown--lost! Then he reappeared running out of the dust into the sage He had escaped, and she breathed again

Spellbound, Jane Withersteen watched this stupendousof the herd The white running circle closed in upon the open space of sage And the dust circles closed above into a pall The ground quaked and the incessant thunder of pounding hoofs rolled on Jane felt deafened, yet she thrilled to a new sound As the circle of sage lessened the steers began to bawl, and when it closed entirely there ca of heads and clicking of horns Bawling, clireatdin, heaved and groaned under the pressure Then came a deadlock The inner strife ceased, and the hideous roar and crash Moveradually stilled The white herd had coan to drift away on the wind

Jane Withersteen waited on the ridge with full and grateful heart Lassiter appeared, e And up on the slope Judkins rode into sight with his troop of boys For the present, at least, the white herd would be looked after

When Lassiter reached her and laid his hand on Black Star's mane, Jane could not find speech

"Killed--my--hoss," he panted

"Oh! I'm sorry," cried Jane "Lassiter! I know you can't replace hiht, even Black Star"

"I'll take a fast hoss, Jane, but not one of your favorites," he replied "Only--will you let me have Black Star now an' ride him over there an' head off them fellers who stampeded the herd?"