Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-01-04
OHARA

"A11AIS W cdI d1lSI IlS u Iidu q bAI VI
exercise. Dickson came running up,
anxious to inspect the racer he was
to ride that afternoon.
maybe Dickson had better ride
him." suggested Ken to Gunston,
80 he can get used to him."
But Gunston decided that Ken had
better take him out for. his first run.
They saddled the horse and Ken
mounted him and moved slowly off
toward the track, Dickson close be-
side Ken, and Gunston and Pratt
following.
The jockey was firing questions at
Ken. Ken answered quietly. No,
he doesn't mind the whip. Some
times you got to beat hell out Of
him. No, he's not hard
mouthed. You can guide him with
out any rein at all. He knows where
you want to go. Sure, he's got
a chance to win the purse he
can win it, if he wants to, there just
isn't any doubt about it. He can
run faster than any other horse, I
tell you. It's just if he wants to
Well-if he takes a notion il
he's in bad temper if he's
got anything else on his mind
AS he said the last words, Ken
looked uneasily off at the horizon.
Dickson looked anxiously at the
horse.
Ken added, Sometimes he starts
bad. Don't worry about that. He
| rDoiohf CT ri ,ry,fh ~, ~, Lo~I r01
lop. That's not his real running gait.
Just beat hell out of him. Fight
him. Make him mind you. He can
catch up with anything once he hits
his gait"
When Ken moved out to the track,
there was small crowd strung
| along the rail, several of them hold
ing stop watches in their hands.
But this was not one of the times
when Thunderhead "started bad"
The familiarity of the light figure on
his back, the well-loved voice, and
those feather hands-Thunderhe
went from an easy canter without
a hitch into his extraordinary float
ing run, and Perry Gunston's mar
row, tense eyes narrowed still more.
He glanced at the watch in his
hand, looked at Dickson, shook his
head, and put the watch away.
Dickson exploded, "Ker-r-risti
You don't see horse run like thati
You just dream about i'll"
Gosh Awmighty!" exclaimed one
of the others, "he's got the Green
way purse in his pocket"
Looks like Ken's sold his horse"
said Gunston.
1t was not until Ken sat down for
breakfast with his father in the grill
room of the Club House that he
learned all the details of Thunder
heads return. 1t seemed to him
more dreadful even than he had
thought. The stallion had not just
come home alone, as he often had
before, he had returned with the
entire band of mares and colts-his
most cherished possessions - and
had trustfully put them in the keep
ing of the Goose Bar corrals. And
now, if his own plans went through,
and his fathers plans, Thunderhead
would never see his mares again.
With head down and eyes on his
plate, Ken fiddled with his fried
eggs.
Where do you think they all went
the mares and colts?" he asked
after moment.
Back to their valley" said Rob.
'That's their home. Thy would drift
back there-and-" he broke off.
"And-?" prompted Ken, raising
his eyes.
II was going to say" said Rob,
"wait for Thunderhead. They'd be
expecting him to come back, of
course, and take care of them. Why
aren't you eating your breakfast"
Ken ceased all pretence, laid his
fork down and leaned back 1t was
rather garbled speech that poured
out-about Thunderhead new affec-
ton for him. His trust. And the
way he was so terribly lonely for
his mares and his valley, and right
now when, for the first time, the
horse had accepted him and turned
toward him as if he was a friend
right now, Ken was playing the part
of an enemy to him-not a friend
at all.
Rob listened with an impressive
face, eating his hearty breakfast
with zest, buttering his toast, filling
Iii cup with more hot coffee, glanc-
ing around the room, his head
cooked as if he was hearing all that
was going on as well as the words
that came hesitatingly from Ken.
He flashed one lightning glance at
his boy He saw the Swallowed eyes,
and the pallor and the thin drawn
lips that had become familiar signs
of Ken's heartache.
Finally he said sharply, you've
been moving heaven and earth for
three years to make racer out Of
this horse and now you're changing
your mind. Can't you stay put? Why
in hell do you have to wobble about
like that?"
Ken thought that if his father
could only see the pictures that