The bull, accepting the
tantalizing challenge, charged again, and Patches, with a thrill of
admiration for the man's coolness and skill, saw that Phil was coiling
his riata, even while his frightened horse, with terrific leaps, avoided
those menacing horns. The bull stopped, shook his head in anger over his
failure, and looked back toward the man on foot. But again that horse
and rider danced temptingly before him, so close that it seemed he
could not fail, and again he charged, only to find that his mad rush
carried him still further from the helpless Patches. And by now, Phil
had recovered his riata, and the loop was whirling in easy circles about
his head. The cow-horse, as though feeling the security that was in that
familiar motion of his master's arm, steadied himself, and, in the few
active moments that followed, obedient to every signal of his rider, did
his part with almost human intelligence.
When the bull was safely tied, Phil went to the frightfully injured
horse, and with a merciful bullet ended the animal's suffering. Then he
looked thoughtfully at Patches, who stood gazing ruefully at the dead
animal, as though he felt himself to blame for the loss of his
employer's property.
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