The Outlaw
By Zulette London
lie was a splendid chocolate-brown stallion with a white mane and tail and the pride of the Triangle C ranch . Imported from Kentucky when a yearling he was tall , with a clean length of limb and a regal manner of standing . For six months he had been in the ranch ’ s possession , when , one bright moonlight night , he heard the call of a wild horse . Suddenly a large bay mustang , upon whom no man ’ s mastery had left its mark , appeared in the bright path of light . For a moment he stood , ears forward , expectant , then vanished into the darkness . The stallion looked after him , then , with a low whinny , began circulating the fence in search of a low place . Finally he found one , and , leaping over , found the other horse . The next morning one of the boys discovered the loss and reported to his manager , who detailed Red and Buck to follow the horses .
They set out confident that before night the erring stallion would be caught . Riding easily as they breasted the top of a small rise , Red exclaimed , " There they are ." The cowboys reined up . With the aid of glasses they easily made out the truant with a band of horses led by the fine bay mustang . They carefully began to close in , but the leader ’ s alert senses warned him . There was something unnatural about the clump of mesquite . He studied it carefully , and , deciding that it was dangerous , gave warning , and the band tore off . Instantly the punchers broke from cover and gave chase , but , fleet as their horses were , they could not get near enough to their stallion to make a good throw . Finally they had to give it up and return to camp . There they expressed their failure in terms best imagined . The next day the other boys tried their skill , hut the bay leader was too wary and the stallion too swift to be caught .
The next year a puncher rode into camp with a thrilling tale of a battle between two horses . As he topped a small rise the far side of the plain he saw a band of horses and apart from them a bay mustang and a chocolate-colored stallion . As he watched the bay dashed towards the stallion who advanced to meet him , but at
12