Browning chief., 1945-12-14

looked up at Thunderhead. There
was the vision. The shining phan-
tom horse-oversoul of the line! To
this prince of the royal blood he now
bequeathed all his wisdom. He gave
him knowledge of the voices of the
trees and waters and the great
SHOWS and winds, so that nothing in
the valley would be strange to him,
no, not a single mare, nor the small
est colt nor humming-bird nor
eagle nor a blade of grass.
Thunderhead's right hoof rose and
fell with lightning speed, cleaving
the skull.
The Albino quivered and was still.
Then one deep sigh came from him,
and on it there ebbed away his life,
while his blood and brains pumped
slowly out to mingle with the earth
of his beloved valley.
Thunderhead lifted his mighty
crest and made the mountains ring
with his unearthly screech of tri-
umph.
"Stand, Thunderhead!"
Hardly had the echoes of Thunder
heads cry of victory ceased than a
small familiar figure was beside
him, commanding him.
Obediently Thunderhead stood
while two hands seized the halter
rope and gripped his name. Ken
vaulted onto his back.
The stallion's eyes were on the
mares. All through the fight they
had stood in two close lunches,
watching, fascinated. Now that it
was ended they began to disperse.
They were confused and nervous.
Howard picked up the nose-bag
and oats and started toward Thun-
derhead. But the stallion suddenly
plunged toward the mares. Ken
flung his weight back, hauling on
the rope, but it was whipped out of
his hand as the great white head
Jerked impatiently, then dropped,
shaking along the ground. The stall
lion was not only beginning the
roundup of the mares, he was taking
command and making himself
known to them as their new master.
Ken seized handfuls of the thick,
wild name.
The stallion came abreast of dis
obedient mare and closed in. She
did not surrender.
The mares body went over in a
complete somersault and she
crashed to the earth, rolling over
and over.
Ken, clinging to Thunderhead's
neck, was, by miracle, still on.
Thunderhead reached and passed
the mares, and took the lead. the
black mare forged to the front of the
band and the little white colt gal
loped nightly as if trying to reach
the side of the stallion.
Wave after wave of nausea went
over Ken. His face was deathly
white. His body ached as if it had
been beaten. His fingers in Thun-
derhead's name clung merely be-
cause they were stiffly locked. He
had lost all hope of ever getting
control of his horse-the hills were
sweeping past-he could not stick
on any longer-the herd was thun-
dering behind him. Where was How
ard? Where was the keyhole, and
safety, and Flicka? At this pace, he
was leaving them far behind.
There came at last moment Of
anguished exhaustion when he cared
about nothing-only to be off
He loosed his grip, flung himself
fiat back on Thunderhead's broad
rump, at the same time swinging
one leg over his withers. From this
side-saddle position he slid to earth.
His feet touched for a second, then
he was hurled on his face.
He felt the jarring thud of the
ground and lay there. The thunder
of the herd roared up and over him.
The ground shook. Clods of dirt and
stinging gravel pelted him and
abrupt blocks of light and darkness
alternated over him as the big bod
les of the mares lifted in the air
to clear him-one after the other.
1t receded into the distance-that
thunder of hoofs-until at last it was
not even so loud as the sound of the
wind in the pines, and his own heart
broken sobbing, and the harsh far
away cry of eagles who dropped
from the clouds to feast upon royal
carrion.
llG ilOt " SduoG 4NSll
any anxiety had been disobeyed. For
the boys, riding double on Flicka,
hardly got home in time to hurry
Howard into his clothes and pack
his suitcases.
After he had gone, Ken sat down
by his fathers desk in the study and
told the details of all that had hap
pened.
Rob was in a very quiet mood.
He sat in his square wooden chair,
turned Slightly toward Ken and
puffed at his pipe.
"Why," said he at last, "did you
take Thunderhead to a place where
there were mares and another stall
lion?"
"But dad!" exclaimed Ken woe
fully, he'd been there often before!
And he had his own regular place
to watch them from-perfectly safe
up there on top of that rampant!
He never went into the valley, not
c;nco that first time when he GOT