Their meeting had been,
indeed, only in the passing, and yet there was about her--how should one
say?--a certain something.
The moment he had made up his mind, Alcatraz flung himself about the
herd and advanced with high head and bounding gallop on the new leader;
but the latter had seen his former master fall and apparently had no
appetite for battle. He shortened his pace to a hand gallop, then to a
mincing trot, and finally lowered his head and moved unobtrusively to
the side with an absorbed interest in the first knot of bunch-grass that
came his way. To force battle on such a foe was beneath the dignity of
Alcatraz, but the whole herd had stopped, every bright eye watching
him; perhaps there might be others more ambitious than the bay. He put
up his head like the king of horses that he was and stepped proudly
forward. Behold, they divided and left a clear path before him; even the
mare who had kicked at him when he first came up now shook her head and
moved aside. He reached the rear of the herd unopposed and turned to
find that every head was still turned towards him with a bright
attention that was certainly not altogether fear.
This was very strange, and while he thought it over Alcatraz dropped his
head and nibbled the nearest cluster of grass.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107