Oxford Democrat., 1906-11-13


his ribs. Reused by pain and fright.
Pasha reared In wild attempt to un-
seat this hateful rider. But Mars Clay.
toms knees seemed glued to Pasha's
shoulders. Next Pasha tried to shake
him of by sudden leaps, side bolts and
sti1 legged jumps. These maneuvers
brought vicious jerks on the wicked
chain bit that was cutting Pasha's ten.
der mouth sOrrily and more jabs from
the little knives. In this way did
Pasha fight until his sides run with
blood and his breast was plastered
thick with reddened foam.
In the meantime he had covered
miles OF road, and ut last, along In the
cold gray Of the morning. he was rid.
den into field where were many tents
and horses. Pasha was unsaddled aud
picketed to a stake. This latter indig.
nifty he was too much exhausted to re-
sent. All he could do was to stand,
shivering with cold, trembling from
nervous excitement, and wait for what
was to happen next.
1t seemed ages before anything did
happen. The beginning was tripping
bugle blast. This was answered BY
the voice Of other bugles blown here
and there about the field. In mo-
ment men began to tumble out OF the
white tents. They came by twos and
threes and dozens until the field was
full Of them. Fires were built on the
ground, and soon Pasha could scent
coffee boiling and bacon frying. Black
boys began moving about among tho
horses with hay and oats and water.
One Of them rubbed Pasha hurriedly
with wlsp Of straw. 1t was little
like the currying and rubbing with
brush and comb and lannel to which
he was accustomed and which he need
ed Just then. oh. how sadly! His strain
ed muscles had stiffened so much that
every movement gave him pain. SO
matted was his coat with sweat and
foam and mud that II seemed az II
half the pores Of his skin were choked.
He had cooled his parched throat
with a long draft Of somewhat mud.
dy water. but he had eaten only half
of the armful Of hay when again the
bugles sounded and Mars Clayton ap-
peared. Tightening the girths until
they almost cut Into Pasha's tender
skin, he jumped into the saddle and
rode Off to where lot Of big black
horses were being reined into line. In
front Of this line Pasha was wheeled.
He heard the buglcs sound once mere.
heard his rider shout something to the
men behind, felt the wicked little
knives in his sides and then. In spite
OF aching legs. WAS forced into sharp
gallop. Although he knew II not,
Pasha had joined the Black Horse cav.
airy.
The months that followed were to
Pasha Ole long. u.ly dream. Not that
he minded the hard riding by day and
night. In ie he became Ujed to all
that. He could even endure the irreg.
ular feeding. tie. sleeping In the open
during nj! kinds OF weather and the
lack of proper grooming. But the
vicious jerks on the torture provoking
cavalry bit, the fat saber blows on
the flank which he not infrcquently
got from his III tempered master and.
above all. the cruel digs OF the spur
wheels-these t.!!:gs he could not un'
derstand. Such treatment lie was sure
he did not merit. Mars Clayton he
came to hate more and more. Some
day, PaSla told himself, he would
take vengeance with teeth and heels,
even IL he died for 1t.
In the meantime he had learned the
cavalry drill lie came to know the
meaning of each varying bugle call.
from rcvei,lc, when one began to paw
and stamp FOR breakfast. to mournful
taps. when ligiits went out ami the
tents became dark and silent: also one
learned to slow from gallop into
walk. when to wheel to the right or
TO the left and when to start on the
lump rs the first notes OF a charge
were sounded. 1t was better to learn
the buglc calls. he found. than to walt
for Il Jerk on the bit or prod from
the spurs.
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