It's me
that hounded him into the river. Alcatraz ain't any pet, but he's sure
lived according to his rights. Let him live and I'll let him go free.
I got no right to him. I didn't make him. I never owned him. But let
him stand up on his four legs again; let me see him go galloping once
more, the finest hoss that ever bucked a fool man out of the saddle,
and I'll call it quits!"
It was near to a prayer, if indeed this were not a prayer in
truth. And glancing down to the head on his lap, he shivered with
superstitious wonder. Alcatraz had unquestionably drawn a long and
sighing breath.
CHAPTER XXVI
PARTNERS
The recovery was no miracle. The strangling coil of rope which shut
off the wind of Alcatraz had also kept any water from passing into his
lungs, and as the air now began to come back and the reviving oxygen
reached his blood, his recovery was amazingly rapid. Before Perris had
ceased wondering at the first audible breath the eyes of Alcatraz were
lighted with flickering intelligence; then a snort of terror showed
that he realized his nearness to the Great Enemy. His very panic acted
as a thrillingly powerful restorative. By the time Perris got weakly
to his feet, Alcatraz was lunging up the river bank scattering gravel
and small rocks behind him.
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