New Britain herald., 1925-01-08


 trolled by mere bridle and saddle. For he was q giant. By actual rule he might not have stood more than sixteen hands and two inches. But he seemed a full band taller: he dwarfed the COW horses to puny in- significance; for his soul was great CT than his body.
 A dozen men now attacked him, moving behind screen of their own trained by frightened saddle horses. They pressed close. Then they darted out. He was snared with new ropes. Men clung to his v-rithing, pitching body like dang ling ants.
 One went down with yell of pain, twisted over and over in the dust, and was then dragged away by helping hands. They carried him off the field. His shoulder had been horribly crushed by a tap ot those flying forehoofs.
 And Joan remembered what Haines had told her of her father and Satan. It seemed to her that she could see Dan Barry seated on the back of that struggling giant of a horse, could watch the Cap tain ouieted and subdued by the strange touches of her fathers hand, the stranger touches of his voice.
 Ah for such a power as he had had. To sit like king on a throne with this indomitable soul at ones commando!
 An ache of desire entered her heart. She looked down to her hands, slender. childish, and the small, round wrists. It would need Hercules himself to conquer the Captain.
 She watched the progress ot the work, not ss a fair contest. but as a picture terrible and beautiful be- yond words. There was no hope for the men. She knew that. Vaguely she heard, here and there, voices Of men calling out wagers that Lefty or Champ or Sam would stick in the saddle so many minutes; or that one of them would ride the black to q finish. She heard them, but she regarded them not.
 They were strong men and dex- terous men, but there was not strength or skill enough in all three were they rolled into one man to subdue the stallion. It took forty minutes to snug the nose Of the horse to a saddle horn and then to saddle and 10 bridle him, though experts were doing the work. But eventually sam Kicks was thrown up into the saddle, the hood was jerked from the eyes Of the cap tain, and he was gone!
 Not uncontrolled by others how ever. Three ropes were still fastened to him.
 Sam Kicks had appeared famous man when he first settled onto The leather. But he began 10 shrink ana shrink ss the black horse struggled. He became a little child clinglng 10 tbe straps. His hat had blown OH. His long hair was lifted and shaken by the wind. And even across the corral, Joan saw the terror In ms tacs.
 It could not last long. The Cap tain was not a horse. He was ten black partners competed in one And bounding like rubber oali, twisting like a flashing snake ot light he shook one of ssms iesl out of a stirrup. In vain the cow puncher sank his spur in the thieh cinch.
 Another buck, a yell from Sam, and he was snapped out of his seal As a child squee2es out water melon seed between thumb ana forehnger. He landed far oil In the dirt. And at him went the Captain with rush, his mouth gaping his mane flying above his tiattened ears
 Then the ropes drew taut' the great horse was stopped, stagger' cd Ane, cf an instant. he ceased fighting and let men drag away th' sonseFess form Of Sam Kicks, 1 (To Be Conttnuedl