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To find the horses now required but a few minutes' search. They stood huddled in

a black mass close to the barbed-wire fence at the extremity of the pasture. As

she approached them they commenced to separate slowly, edging away while they

faced her in curiosity. Softly she called: "Brazos! Come, Brazos!" until a unit of

the moving mass detached itself and came toward her, nickering.

Good Brazos!" she cooed. "That's a good pony," and walked forward to meet him.

The animal let her reach up and stroke his forehead, while he muzzled about her

for the expected tidbit. Gently she worked the hackamore over his nose and above

his ears, and when it was safely in place she breathed a deep sigh of relief and

throwing her arms about his neck pressed her cheek to his.

You dear old Brazos," she whispered.

The horse stood quietly while the girl wriggled herself to his back, and then at a

word and a touch from her heels moved off at a walk in the direction of the ford.

The crossing this time was one of infinite ease, for Barbara let the rope lie loose

and Brazos take his own way.

Through the willows upon the opposite bank he shouldered his path, across the

meadow still at a walk, lest they arouse attention, and through a gate which led

directly from the meadow into the ranchyard. Here she tied him to the outside of

the corral, while she went in search of saddle and bridle. Whose she took she did

not know, nor care, but that the saddle was enormously heavy she was perfectly

aware long before she had dragged it halfway to where Brazos stood.

Three times she essayed to lift it to his back before she succeeded in

accomplishing the Herculean task, and had it been any other horse upon the

ranch than Brazos the thing could never have been done; but the kindly little

pony stood in statuesque resignation while the heavy Mexican tree was banged

and thumped against his legs and ribs, until a lucky swing carried it to his

withers.

Saddled and bridled Barbara led him to the rear of the building and thus, by a

roundabout way, to the back of the office building. Here she could see a light in

the room in which Billy was confined, and after dropping the bridle reins to the

ground she made her way to the front of the structure.

Creeping stealthily to the porch she peered in at the window. Eddie was stretched

out in cramped though seeming luxury in an office chair. His feet were cocked up

on the desk before him. In his lap lay his six-shooter ready for any emergency.

Another reposed in its holster at his belt.

266

The Mucker