"You'll take back
Wildfire?"
"Oh, Lin--don't--ask--me," she implored.
"Take him back--an' me with him."
"Then I will. But no one must know that yet."
They drew apart then.
"An' now you must go," said Slone, reluctantly. "Listen. I forgot to warn you
about Joel Creech. Don't ever let him near you. He's crazy an' he means evil."
"Oh, I know, Lin! I'll watch. But I'm not afraid of him."
"He's strong, Lucy. I saw him lift bags that were hefty for me. . . . Lucy, do
you ride these days?"
"Every day. If I couldn't ride I couldn't live."
"I'm afraid," said Slone, nervously. "There's Creech an' Cordts--both have
threatened you."
"I'm afraid of Cordts," replied Lucy, with a shiver. "You should have seen him
look at me race-day. It made me hot with anger, yet weak, too, somehow. But
Dad says I'm never in any danger if I watch out. And I do. Who could catch me
on Sarch?"
"Any horse can be tripped in the sage. You told me how Joel tried to rope Sage
King. Did you ever tell your dad that?"
"I forgot.
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