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"Think of taking all that trouble." "Rope him, and put a saddle on him and bust him," they called resoundingly. Mose kept on steadily. At last, when all the other horses had been turned loose, Kintuck, trembling, and with a curious stare in his eyes, again allowed Mose to lay his hand on his nose. He shrank away, but did not wheel.
All the tricks which the cavalry had taught their horses, Mose, in years on the trail, had taught Kintuck. He galloped on three legs and waltzed like a circus horse. He seemed to know exactly what his master said to him. A man with a big red beard came up to Mose as he rode off the track and said: "What'll you take for that horse?" Mose gave him a savage glance. "He ain't for sale."
This comfortable, homely room, this tender little form in his arms, made an appeal to him which was as powerful as it was unexpected. He had lived so long in his blanket, with only Kintuck for company, that at this moment it seemed as if these were the best things to do to stay with Reynolds, to make Cora happy, and to rest.
Out of a low mutter at last Harold's words grew distinct: "I don't care but the water is cold as ice I wouldn't put a cayuse into it let alone Kintuck. Should be a bridge here somewhere." "Oh, he's on the trail again!" said Mary. "Harold, don't you know me?" She bent over to him again and put forth the utmost intensity of her will to recall him. "I am here, Harold, don't you see me?"
I'm a black hoodoo, and you'll never prosper till I skip; I'm not fit to marry any woman." Singularly enough, this gave the girl almost instant comfort, and she lifted her head and dried her eyes, and before he left she smiled a little, though her face was haggard and tear stained. Mose was up early and had his packs ready and Kintuck saddled when Mrs. Reynolds called him to breakfast.
"Just over that divide but slip your packs off. Old Kintuck looks well; I knew him when you topped the hill." "Yes, he's still with me, and considerable of a horse yet." They drew up to the door of one of the main tents and slipped the saddles from the weary horses. "Do ye hobble?" "No they stay with me," said Mose, slapping Kintuck. "Go on, boy, here's grass worth while for ye."
After a few casts of almost equal brilliancy, Mose leaped to the ground with the rope in his hand, and while Kintuck looked on curiously, he began a series of movements which one of Delmar's Mexicans had taught him. With the noose spread wide he kept it whirling in the air as if it were a hoop.
The Ogallalahs are my friends, and I'm going to spend the winter with them and then go into the West Elk country. I'm due to kill a grizzly this year and some mountain sheep." He was started now, and Mary had only to listen. "Before I stop, I'm going to know all there is to know of the Rocky Mountains. With ol' Kintuck and my Winchester I'm goin' to hit the sunset trail and hit it hard.
It meant an expenditure of nearly one fourth his month's pay in entrance fees, not to speak of the expense of keeping Kintuck, for the old horse had to go into training and be grain-fed as well. However, he was too confident of winning to hesitate. He drew on his wages, and took a day off to fetch Kintuck, whom he found fat and hearty and very dirty.
Reynolds followed in a rusty buggy drawn by a fleabitten gray cow pony, sedate with age. Kintuck was as alert as a four-year-old. His rest had filled him to bursting with ambition to do and to serve. His muscles played under his shining skin like those of a trained athlete. Obedient to the lightest touch or word of his master, with ears in restless motion, he curvetted like a racer under the wire.
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