Ted Strongs Motor Car | Page 7

than a mile, except'n' it wuz Injuns, an' they don't count,
until we butted in on 'em. They belonged ter ole man Stallings. I reckon
you remember him, what we met on our way ter Fort Grant, when yer

run erway an' got lost on Red Mesa."
Stella nodded.
"I wuz lookin' fer a bunch o' cow hosses. We sold a big run o' 'em ter a
Newbrasky cowman who was short o' saddle stock, an' who said he'd
heard we had the best-broke cow ponies in ther West, an' I reckon we
had. He was willin' ter pay a good price fer our spare stock, an' we
unloaded."
"Then you will have to break in a lot of new ones. Isn't that a waste of
time?"
"Young woman, we're ranchmen, not rockin'-chair gents. It's part o' our
business ter take somethin' what ain't much good, an' make it better.
That's the way we earn our bread an' bacon."
"So I see."
"Ted says ter me ter go up inter Montana an' pick up a lot o' good,
gingery hosses, an' I struck John Stallings. He says ter me, when I made
my wants known, 'Go out on ther range an' he'p yerself,' says he.
'They're all mine, an' Ted Strong an' his boys kin hev anythin' I've got
except my fam'ly. But,' says he, 'you'll find some purty lively stock out
there.'"
"Well, you did," said Stella, laughing.
"I reckon I picked out ther orneriest hosses in the whole West, an' I'm
savin' them fer some o' these Smart-aleck cowboys who'll be here from
ther ranches round, who think they kin ride," and he winked wisely.
"Gracious, look there!" she cried. "What's Ted trying to do. He'll be
hurt, Bud."
"No, I reckon not, but I'll git in thar handy ter help him if he needs it.
Keep the kid outer ther way if that bunch breaks."
Ted had done what none of the others had succeeded in doing.
He had forced his way into the very center of the bunch of wild horses,
wheeling and doubling and riding like a circus performer, to avoid the
batteries of flying heels, until he was close to the wicked black stallion,
which was all that held the bunch together and prevented it from being
broken up and driven to the upper end of the ranch, where it belonged.
There was not a moment when he was not in danger. A chance kick
might break his leg, or bring down his horse, in which event he must be
kicked to death or badly hurt by being trampled on.
But so far they had not been able to reach him.

"Be careful, Ted," cried Stella.
He waved his hand at her with a smile, and she hurried Lilian beyond
the reach of danger.
Ted wheeled his horse to face the black brute, which stood looking at
him with wicked eyes, its ears flattened like those of a panther. In spite
of its evil temper Ted admired it for its lithe beauty. It was as clean of
limb as a thoroughbred, and its black skin shone like polished ebony.
While he was looking at it thus it suddenly sprang at him, reared on its
hind legs, striking at him like a boxer. Had he not wheeled on the
instant it would have killed him. Ted was thoroughly angry, and went
to the attack himself, beating the horse about the head with his quirt.
When the horse rushed at him through a rain of blows across its nose
Ted retreated beyond reach of its hoofs, then attacked it again.
Suddenly the black horse wheeled and presented its heels, and Ted rode
around it, lashing it well, everywhere the whip could reach.
Although the horse continued to lash out with his heels he struck
nothing, and always his enemy was at his side or in front.
At last Ted resolved to bring the unequal combat to an end, as Sultan
was tiring of the exercise, so instead of riding around the enraged horse,
he pivoted with it, keeping in front of it all the time and whipping it on
the nose.
The "insurgent" stopped kicking at last and stood with drooping head,
trying to shield its face from that cruel, relentless, stinging thing which
the man creature wielded. He was cowed, but not conquered.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ted drove him backward and clear of
his companions. Seeing their leader retreat, the other horses broke their
close formation, and allowed themselves to be driven down the valley,
not without an occasional rebellious kick, however.



CHAPTER III
.
STELLA GOES TO THE "RENT RAG."

"Oh, joy, an' pickled pelicans!" said Bud Morgan, skipping onto the
veranda one evening, when all the boys were sitting around Stella