Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-15
CHAPTER vII.-continued.

A great fenced field of velvety green
alfalfa furnished a rich background
for the drove of about twenty white
horses. BIanco Diablo was the only
one in the field that was not free to
roam and Craze where he listed. A
stake and a halter held him to one
corner, where he was severely let
alone by the other horses. He did not
like this isolation. Blanco Diablo was
not happy unless he was running, or
fighting a rival Of the two he would
rather fight. If anything white could
resemble a devil, this horse surely
did. He had nothing beautiful about
him, yet he drew the gaze and held
it. The look O. him suggested dis
content, anger, revolt, vieiousness.
When he was not grazing or prancing,
he held his long, lean head level, point
ing his nose and showing his teeth.
Belongs favorite was almost all the
world to him, and he swore Diablo
could stand more heat and thirst and
cactus than any other horse he owned,
and could run down and kill any
horse in the Southwest.
The cowboys admitted some of
Belongs claims for Diablo, but they
gave loyal and unshakable allegiance
to Blanco Sol. AS for Dick, he had
to fight himself to keep out of argu-
ments. for he sometimes imagined he
was unreasonable about the horse.
Though he could not understand him
self he knew he loved Sol as a man
loved a friend, a brother. Free of
heavy saddle and the clumsy leg
shields, Blanco Sol was somehow all
satisfying to the eyes Of the rangers.
The dazzling whiteness of the desert
sun shone from his. coat; he had the
fire and spirit Of the desert in his
noble head, its strength and power in
his gigantic frame.
"Belding swears Sol never beat
Diablo," Dick was saying.
"He believes ii" replied Nell. dad
Is queer about that horse"
"rve often wondered how Bedding
ever came to give Blanco Sol to me-"
said Dick.
81 think he wanted to get rid of
SOL"
maybe. He surely has strange pas
sion for horses. / think / understand
better than 1 used 70. 1 owned
couple of racers once. They were
lust animals to me, guess But
B1anco Sol!'
DO you love him?" asked Nell; and
now warm blue flash of eyes swept
his face.
"Do I? Well, rather"
"Pn glad. Sol has been finer, a
better horse since you owned him. He
doves you. Dick Sol always hated
Diablo, and never had much use for
Dad"
Dick looked up at her.
.Ttu be-be pretty hard to leave Sol
when I go away"
Nell sat perfectly still.
"Go away?" she asked, presently.
with lust the faintest tremor in her
voice.
Eyes. Sometimes when 1 get blue
as l am today think I'll go. But,
in sober truth, Nell, it's not likely
that I'll spend all my life here"
There was no answer to this. Dick
nut his hand softly over hers; and,
despite her half-hearted struggle to
free it, he held on.
"Nell!'
Her color fed. He saw her lips
part TheA heavy step on the gravel
a cheerful. complaining voice inter
rubted him, and made him release Nell
and draw back. Bedding strobe into
view round the adobe she'd
Hey, Dick, that darned Yaqui In
dian can'r L1 driven or hired or coaxed
20 leave Foylorn River He's well
enough to travel. I offered him horse.
gun. blanket, grub. But no 60"
That's funny" replied Gale, with
g smile. LET him stay-put him to
work"
at doesn't Strike me funny. But
I'll tell you what think. That poor,
Eemeiess, heartbroken Indian has
faken liking to you, Dick You
aaved his life That sort of thing
counts big with any Indian, even with
an Apache. With a Yaqui maybe it's
az deep significance. I've heard
&anui saw that with HIS tribe no debt