Browning chief., 1945-10-19

"A year before, tne AlDlnO naQ
recognized in Thunderhead a reflec-
ton of himself in miniature. But
gelding would have changed that.
It would have left the colt, perhaps,
a successful racer; it would have
made him more useful to men and
amenable to their demands; but
never again would he have been a
creature who could have COM
manded the notice of his royal great
grandfather.
Nell had hardly recovered from
the emotion she had felt when she
saw Ken's triumph. And the fact
that the colt had escaped gelding
(for Rob had said that since Doc
had come and gone he could wait
another year) gave her an even
stranger feeling of unreality. When
obstacles vanished, they just fioated
away-as if they never had been
"He is going to be racer after
all, isn't he, dad?"
Looks like it, son.
"And all our troubles will be
over"
"What are you going to do with all
the money, Ken?"
Hes going to pay back a lot
that he owes mel"
And he can pay for his own edu-
cation!"
ranch"
"And put wooden fences around it
he's promised me that!"
Mother, you've got to tell me
what you want! I've asked you and
asked you and you never have"
"Can I have three wishes?"
"Yes-three things. Make them
big things, mother!"
Il want swan sleigh all covered
with bells! I want a monkey treel
And I want little grill"
What is a monkey tree?" asked
Charlie.
"It's a kind of big old pine tree
here on the ranch-there are only
couple of dozen of them," Howard
explained. 1--WE were looking at one
one day long ago-They are queer
shape with branches all twisting ev-
cry which way, and mother said it
had face like an old monkeys"
Mother" insisted Ken, "ten me
some other wishes-real wishes that
I could get you."
HE wants to buy her joo-oo-ools!"
clowned Howard.
Better cross your fingers, Ken,"
said Charley. MANY a slip betwixt
the cup and the lip, you know"
In the interchange of talk and
flashing glances that played around
the table, Nell's look crossed Rob's.
They stared moment. She felt the
impact of his animosity. He hadn't
forgiven her for what she had said
last night. When they were alone
together, he was smooth and easy
as if it were forgotten-but with
people around, he lowered his guard
and let her see the truth.
While they argued as to whether
it would be better for Thunderhead
to be raced this coming fall or wait
until he was a three-year-oEd, and
decided on the latter, she sat at
the end of the table, feeling all her
elation dying down. Thunderhead's
success began to seem very remote
indeed, unlikely. No. The odds
were, nothing would come of it. The
colt had, apparently, run a half
mile faster than it had ever been
run before. Could that be true?
According to recorded runs, yes.
But there were many colts in the
world besides those who ran in races
many colts who had been clocked
on makeshift tracks like this one
who might have-must have, broken
records, and yet, for one reason or
another, never were heard of. Why?
Things happened. They got hurt, or
stale, or proved a flash in the pan,
or unmanageable-
''For you see," said Charley, 1--WE
know now he's got it in him. It's
there. But he's an unmanageable
brute. He can't be depended on.
He needs lot of training and disci-
pline. Besides, he hasn't got his
growth yet. In another year, when
he's settled down, he'll be unbeat-
able!"
He gave Ken's back resounding
whack! "Young fellah, me lad,
you'll have winner! How'll it feel
to be the famous owner of famous
horse?"
But Ken had a thought "Sup-
pose," he said lugubriously, 1--WE get
him all trained for a race, and then
he runs away and we can't find
him?"
Rob glanced at Ken, then at Nell.
His expression was sardonic. ken,
you take after your mother more
than any boy has a right to-"
Nell's eyes met Rob's - and
clashed again. She looked down and
finished her sliced peaches. What
was the matter with him? It wasn't
only the quarrel of last night-that
had left him hard and cold toward
her, but now he was in a state
had been all evening-ever since
ever since-yes, ever since he ar
rived at the race track in that ridicu-
lous cart-what had he been doing
before-Oh, yes, he went out on