Grace Harlowes Overland Riders on the Great American Desert | Page 4

who is an excellent shot. The
lieutenant was a fighting aviator in the war."
Hi nodded and stroked his chin.
"Reckoned you could ride some. When we get out on the desert I'll see
how you can shoot. When do you think you want to start?"
"I will leave that to you," replied Grace.
"Three o'clock this afternoon. We'll make the range where Ping will be
waiting for us, and have chow there, then go on in the cool of the
evening. Want to look over the broncos?"

"If you please. I should like to try the ponies that we are to ride."
"Do--do they always kick and buck as we saw them do just now?"
questioned Miss Briggs apprehensively.
The guide shook his head and grinned.
"They don't like to be roped, that's all. No bronco does. They'll be as all
right as a bronc' can be, so long as you don't use the spur or get the
critters stubborn."
"If you say they are perfectly safe for my friends to ride, I am satisfied,
though I should like to try them out. Hippy, have you ridden any of
these animals?" asked Grace, turning to Lieutenant Wingate.
"He tried to," observed Tom Gray dryly. "Hippy mounted one on one
side and promptly fell off on the other before getting his feet in the
stirrups. It was not the pony's fault, however, but Hippy's clumsiness
that caused the disaster."
"That's right, have all the fun at my expense you wish. I am the
comedian of this outfit anyway," protested Hippy. "Let's see you ride
one of them, Brown Eyes," he urged, speaking to Grace.
"Please have them saddled one by one and I will try them, Mr. Lang,"
directed Grace. "Any pony that I can ride, the others surely can."
The guide nodded and turned away. Grace watched the saddling with
keen interest, especially the saddling of the first pony selected for her,
which squealed and pawed and danced as the cinch-girth was being
tightened.
"Vicious!" objected Elfreda Briggs.
"No," answered Grace. "Just playful. If the others are no worse, we
shall have a good bunch of horses."
The saddle being secured, Grace stepped up and petted the little animal
for a few moments, then mounted. The pony danced under her, then, at

a word, galloped off. The Overland girl rode but a short distance, and,
turning back, trotted up to the group smilingly.
"Spirited but sweet," was her comment as she dismounted. "He will be
all right if he is used right. Try him, Elfreda. I know you will like him."
Miss Briggs took her test without falling off, and promptly claimed the
little brown animal as her own private mount.
"You made a most excellent selection, Mr. Lang," complimented Grace,
after she had tried the ponies for the rest of the girls and found them
suitable. Each girl also tried out and selected her own mount from those
that Grace had approved, the cowboys and half the village being
interested spectators. Grace was pleased, both with the ponies and with
the riding of her girl friends. Not the least of those who were pleased
was Hi Lang, who, before the coming of the outfit, had felt
considerable doubt as to the success of the proposed jaunt. Now he
knew that the Overland Riders were not rank greenhorns, as he
expressed it to himself.
"Which animal did you think of selecting for me!" asked Grace
smilingly.
"Reckoned you'd do that for yourself," answered the guide.
"Thank you. Please have that black roped and brought out. He is the
one I think will please me," replied Grace promptly.
"What, that black bronc'? He's a lively one, Mrs. Gray. Don't reckon
you'll be able to stick on him at all," warned Hi Lang.
"I have fallen off before, sir. Have him roped and brought out. I'll try
him out."
The guide shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the head
wrangler.
"Why take such unnecessary chances!" begged Tom Gray. "Surely

there are plenty of ponies in the bunch that are safe for you to ride."
"Tom, surely the black one can be no worse than that wild western
pony that I bought last fall and rode. You know he was supposed to be
the last word in viciousness and bucking ability, but I rode him
successfully."
"Very well, go ahead. You won't be satisfied until you have tried him,
but remember, I warned you," returned Grace's husband with some
heat.
"Now, Tom," begged Grace pleadingly. "Please don't be a cross bear
and spoil my trip. You have been so perfectly lovely about it right up to
this moment, that it would be too bad if you were to get peevish now. If
you say I must not, of course I will not try to