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.Its breath in his face, the froth from its mouth blinded him, but still he clung while it threw him this and that way.He himself never knew where his strength came from.Suddenly the steer fell heavily and the two lay panting together.Helene drew the back of her hand across her eyes and brushed away the tears that blurred her vision, while a lump rose in her throat too big to swallow."Gentle Annie" of The Colonial veranda, erstwhile authority on Battenburg and sweaters, had accomplished the most reckless of the dare-devil feats of the cow-country-he had "bull-dogged" a steer from horseback!* * *Before the birds had taken their heads from under their wings Miss Mercy Lane was up and crashing through the brambles on a hunt for "Red" McGonnigle.It was a morning to thrill the soul of a taxi-cab driver, but it had no interest for Miss Mercy.The dew on the petals of the wild-rose, the opaline tints of a sweet-scented dawn meant nothing to that lady as, without a collar, her shirt-waist wrongly buttoned, her hair twisted into a hard "Psyche" knot, she searched for her enemy.In her earnest desire to get in touch with Mr.McGonnigle as soon as possible, she clumped about, peering into the faces of the helpers, who had thrown their tarps down upon whatever spot looked a likely place for sleeping.Pinkey she found without difficulty; also Mr.Hicks, who, awakened by the feeling that someone was looking at him, sat up and in a scandalized tone told her to go right away, from him."Red" McGonnigle, however, whether by accident or premeditation, had repaired with his blankets to a bed-ground where the Almighty could not have found him with a spy-glass.In consequence, Wallie was awakened suddenly by the booming voice of Miss Mercy demanding to know Red's whereabouts.Her lids were puffed as if she had not closed them, and through the slits her eyes gleamed at him.She looked so altogether formidable as she stood over him that his first impulse was to duck his head under the covers.Since it was manifestly impossible for Wallie to get to his feet as politeness demanded, and it seemed ridiculous to sit up in bed and converse with a lady he knew so slightly, it appeared that the best thing to do in the circumstances was to remain as he was, prostrate and helpless, and this he did-to take such a dressing down as made him tingle.Aiming her finger at him, Miss Mercy declared that deliberately, wilfully, maliciously, "Red" McGonnigle had set her tent on ahump.More than that, he had cut down an alder, leaving some three or four sharp prongs over which he had spread her blankets.She would have been as comfortable on the teeth of a hay-rake, and had not even dozed in consequence.With her own ears she had heard "Red" McGonnigle threaten to "fix" her, and he had done it.If he was not discharged she would return to Prouty at the first opportunity.This was final.Wallie argued vainly that it was an accident, that "Red" was altogether too chivalrous to take such a low-down revenge upon a lady, and explained that in any event it would be impossible to dispense with his services at this juncture.He declared that he regretted the matter deeply and promised to prevent a recurrence.But Miss Mercy was adamant, and intimated that Wallie was in sympathy with his hireling if not in actual "cahoots" with him.Wallie realized that it would be impossible to resent the implication with proper dignity while lying on the flat of his back looking up at his accuser, so he said nothing, whereupon Miss Mercy flung at him as she departed:"I intend to ask a ride back to Prouty from the first passerby, and I shallknock you and your ranch at every opportunity!"She returned to her teepee to complete her toilette while Wallie took his boots from under his pillow and drew them on glumly, feeling that much of the joy had been taken from what promised to be a perfect morning.Mr
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