Hiscompanionhadnoticedthegroundalready,andassented。Therewerenotracksanywheretobeseenoverwhichwinterhadnotcomeandgonesincetheyhadbeenmade。Presentlythetrailwoundintoasultrygulchthathemmedintheheatandseemedtodrawdownthesun’sraysmorevertically。Thesorrelhorsechosethisplacetomakeatryforliberty。Hesuddenlywhirledfromthetrail,draggingwithhimhislessinventivefellow。LeavingtheVirginianwiththeoldmare,Balaamheadedthemoff,forPedrowasquick,andtheycamejumpingdownthebanktogether,butswiftlycrossedupontheotherside,gettingmuchhigherbeforetheycouldbereached。Itwasnoplaceforthissortofgame,asthesidesoftheravinewereploughedwithsteepchannels,brokenwithjuttingknobsofrock,andimpededbyshorttwistedpinesthatswungoutfromtheirrootshorizontallyoverthepitchofthehill。TheVirginianhelped,butusedhishorsewithmorejudgment,keepingasmuchonthelevelaspossible,andendeavoringtoanticipatethenextturnoftherunawaysbeforetheymadeit,whileBalaamattemptedtofollowthemclose,wheelingshortwhentheydoubled,heavilybeatingupthefaceoftheslope,veeringagaintocomedowntothepointhehadleft,andwheneverhefeltPedrobegintoflag,drivinghisspursintothehorseandforcinghimtokeepupthepace。Hehadsetouttoovertakeandcaptureonthesideofthemountainthesetwoanimalswhohadbeenrunningwildformanyweeks,andnowcarriednoweightbutthemselves,andthefutilityofsuchworkcouldnotpenetratehisobstinateandrisingtemper。Hehadmadeuphismindnottogivein。TheVirginiansoondecidedtomoveslowlyalongforthepresent,preventingthewildhorsesfrompassingdownthegulchagain,butotherwisesavinghisownanimalfromuselessfatigue。HesawthatPedrowasreekingwet,withmouthopen,andconstantlystumbling,thoughhegallopedon。Thecow-puncherkeptthegroupinsight,drivingthepackhorseinfrontofhim,andwatchingthetacticsofthesorrel,whohadnowundoubtedlybecometheleaderoftheexpedition,andwasatthetopofthegulch,invaintryingtofindanoutletthroughitsrockyrimtothelevelsabove。Hesoonjudgedthistobenothoroughfare,andchanginghisplan,trotteddowntothebottomanduptheotherside,gainingmoreandmore;forinthisnewdescentPedrohadfallentwice。Thenthesorrelshowedtheclevernessofagenuinelyvicioushorse。TheVirginiansawhimstopandfalltokickinghiscompanionwithalltheenergythatashortropewouldpermit。Theropeslipped,andboth,unencumbered,reachedthetopanddisappeared。LeavingthepackhorseforBalaam,theVirginianstartedafterthemandcameintoahightableland,beyondwhichthemountainsbeganinearnest。Therunawaysweremovingacrosstowardtheseataneasyrate。Hefollowedforamoment,thenlookingback,andseeingnosignofBalaam,waited,forthehorsesweresurenottogofastwhentheyreachedgoodpastureorwater。
Hegotoutofthesaddleandsatontheground,watching,tillthemarecameupslowlyintosight,andBalaambehindher。Whentheywerenear,BalaamdismountedandstruckPedrofearfully,untilthestickbroke,andheraisedthesplinteredhalftocontinue。
Seeingthepony’scondition,theVirginianspoke,andsaid,“I’dletthathawssalone。“
Balaamturnedtohim,butwhollypossessedbypassiondidnotseemtohear,andtheSouthernernoticedhowwhiteandlikethatofamaniachisfacewas。Thestickslidtotheground。
“Heplayedhewastired,“saidBalaam,lookingattheVirginianwithglazedeyes。Theviolenceofhisrageaffectedhimphysically,likesomestrokeofillness。“Heplayedoutonmeonpurpose。“Theman’svoicewasdryandlight。“He’sperfectlyfreshnow,“hecontinued,andturnedagaintothecoughing,swayinghorse,whoseeyeswereclosed。Nothavingthestick,heseizedtheanimal’sunresistingheadandshookit。TheVirginianwatchedhimamoment,androsetostopsuchaspectacle。Then,asifconscioushewasdoingnorealhurt,Balaamceased,andturningagaininslowfashionlookedacrossthelevel,wheretherunawayswerestillvisible。
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