The Heritage of the Desert: A Novel

by Zane Grey

mane; the second, a small, shiny, black

  mustang.

  "Silvermane and Bolly!" exclaimed August, "and now she's broken her

  hobbles."

  The stallion, in the fulfilment of a conquest such as had made him king

  of the wild ranges, was magnificent in action. Wheeling about her,

  neighing, and plunging, he arched his splendid neck and pushed his head

  against her. His action was that of a master. Suddenly Black Bolly

  snorted and whirled down the glade. Silvermane whistled one blast of

  anger or terror and thundered after her. They vanished in the gloom of

  the cedars, and the band of frightened horses and mustangs clattered

  after them.

  "It's one on me," remarked Billy. "That little mare played us at the

  finish. Caught when she was a yearling, broken better than any mustang

  we ever had, she has helped us run down many a stallion, and now she

  runs off with that big white-maned brute!"

  "They'll make a team, and if they get out of here we'll have to chase

  them to the Great Salt Basin," replied Dave.

  "Mescal, that's a well-behaved mustang of yours," said August; "not only

  did she break loose, but she whistled an alarm to Silvermane and his

  band. Well, roll in now, everybody, and sleep."

  At breakfast the following day the Naabs fell into a discussion upon the

  possibility of there being other means of exit from the plateau than the

  two trails already closed. They had never run any mustangs on the

  plateau, and in the case of a wild horse like Silvermane, who would take

  desperate chances, it was advisable to know the ground exactly. Billy

  and Dave taking their mounts from the sheep-corral, where they had put

  them up for the night, rode in opposite directions around the rim of the

  plateau. It was triangular in shape, and some six or seven miles in

  circumference; and the brothers rode around it in less than an hour.

  "Corralled," said Dave, laconically.

  "Good! Did you see him? What kind of a bunch has he with him?" asked his

  father.

  "If we get the pick of the lot it will be worth two weeks' work,"

  replied Dave. "I saw him, and Bolly, too. I believe we can catch her

  easily. She was off from the bunch, and it looks as though the mares

  were jealous. I think we can run her into a cove under the wall, and get

  her. Then Mescal can help us run down the stallion. And you can look out

  on this end for the best level stretch to drop the line of cedars and

  make our trap."

  The brothers, at their father's nod, rode off into the forest. Naab had

  detained the peon, and now gave him orders and sent him off.

  "To-night you can stand on the rim here, and watch him signal across to

  the top of Echo Cliffs to the Navajos," explained August to Jack. "I've

  sent for the best breaker of wild mustangs on the desert. Dave can break

  mustangs, and Piute is very good; but I want the best man in the

  country, because this is a grand horse, and I intend to give him to

  you."

  "To me!" exclaimed Hare.

  "Yes, and if he's broken right at the start, he'll serve you faithfully,

  and not try to bite your arm off every day, or kick your brains out. No

  white man can break a wild mustang to the best advantage."

  "Why is that?"

  "I don't know. To be truthful, I have an idea it's bad temper and lack

  of patience. Just wait till you see this Navajo go at Silvermane!"

  After Mescal and Piute drove down the sheep, Jack accompanied Naab to

  the corral.

  "I've brought up your saddle," said Naab, "and you can put it on any

  mustang here."

  What a pleasure it was to be in the saddle again, and to feel strength

  to remain there! He rode with August all over the western end of the

  plateau. They came at length to a strip of ground, higher than the

  bordering forest, which was comparatively free of cedars and brush; and

  when August had surveyed it once he slapped his knee with satisfaction.

  "Fine, better than I hoped for! This stretch is about a mile long, and

  narrow at this end. Now, Jack, you see the other side faces the rim,

  this side the forest, and at the end here is a wall of rock; luckily it

  curves in a half circle, which will save us work. We'll cut cedars, drag

  them in line, and make a big corral against the rock. From the opening

  in the corral we'll build two fences of trees; then we'll chase

  Silvermane till he's done, run him down into this level, and turn him

  inside the fence. No horse can break through a close line of cedars.

  He'll run till he's in the corral, and then we'll rope him."

  "Great!" said Jack, all enthusiasm. "But isn't it going to take a lot of

  work?"

  "Rather," said August, dryly. "It'll take a week to cut and drag the

  cedars, let alone to tire out that wild stallion. When the finish comes

  you want to be on that ledge where we'll have the corral."

  They returned to camp and prepared supper. Mescal and Piute soon

  arrived, and, later, Dave and Billy on jaded mustangs. Black Bolly

  limped behind, stretching a long halter, an unhappy mustang with dusty,

  foam-stained coat and hanging head.

  "Not bad," said August, examining the lame leg. "She'll be fit in a few

  days, long before we need her to help run down Silvermane. Bring the

  liniment and a cloth, one of you, and put her in the sheep-corral to-

  night."

  Mescal's love for the mustang shone in her eyes while she smoothed out

  the crumpled mane, and petted the slender neck.

  "Bolly, to think you'd do it!" And Bolly dropped her head as though

  really ashamed.

  When darkness fell they gathered on the rim to watch the signals. A fire

  blazed out of the black void below, and as they waited it brightened and

  flamed higher.

  "Ugh!" said Piute, pointing across to the dark line of cliffs.

  "Of course he'd see it first," laughed Naab. "Dave, have you caught it

  yet? Jack, see if you can make out a fire over on Echo Cliffs."

  "No, I don't see any light, except that white star. Have you seen it?"

  "Long ago," replied Naab. "Here, sight along my finger, and narrow your

  eyes down."

  "I believe I see it--yes, I'm sure."

  "Good. How about you, Mescal?"

  "Yes," she replied.

  Jack was amused, for Dave insisted that he had been next to the Indian,

  and Billy claimed priority to all of them. To these men bred on the

  desert keen sight was preeminently the chief of gifts.

  "Jack, look sharp!" said August. "Peon is blanketing his fire. See the

  flicker? One, two--one, two--one. Now for the answer."

  Jack peered out into the shadowy space, star-studded above, ebony below.

  Far across the depths shone a pinpoint of steady light. The Indian

  grunted again, August vented his "ha!" and then Jack saw the light blink

  like a star, go out for a second, and blink again.

  "That's what I like to see," said August. "We're answered. Now all's

  over but the work."

  Work it certainly was, as Jack discovered next day. He helped the

  brothers cut down cedars while August hauled them into line with his

  roan. What with this labor and the necessary camp duties nearly a week

>   passed, and in the mean time Black Bolly recovered from her lameness.

  Twice the workers saw Silvermane standing on open high ridges, restive

  and suspicious, with his silver mane flying, and his head turned over

  his shoulder, watching, always watching.

  "It'd be worth something to find out how long that stallion could go

  without water," commented Dave. "But we'll make his tongue hang out to-

  morrow. It'd serve him right to break him with Black Bolly."

  Daylight came warm and misty; veils unrolled from the desert; a purple

  curtain lifted from the eastern crags; then