Pagina 292 van 439

Fraser grinned and continued to eat. When he had finished he got

his lariat from the saddle, swung to Siegfried's pony, and rode

unobtrusively forward to the remuda. The horses were circling

round and round, so that it was several minutes before he found a

chance. When he did, the rope snaked forward and dropped over the

head of the strawberry roan. The horse stood trembling, making

not the least resistance, even while the ranger saddled and

cinched.

But before the man settled to the saddle, the outlaw was off on

its furious resistance. It went forward and up into the air with

a plunging leap. The rider swung his hat and gave a joyous whoop.

Next instant there was a scatter of laughing men as the horse

came toward them in a series of short, stiff-legged bucks which

would have jarred its rider like a pile driver falling on his

head had he not let himself grow limp to meet the shock.