for a moment only, for he did not act -- somehow
felt it was not yet time. But he gave way to a
grim restlessness. He took to rocking like a
chained elephant -- from right hind to left fore,
from left hind to right fore legs -- changing, always
changing.

"Well, old son," came a voice on his chaotic
thoughts, "we've just found a bridle that'll suit.
But it took us a mean long time to do it, didn't
it?"

Pat stopped swaying. He stopped suddenly,
as one checked by a mighty force. And so he
was. For he knew now that the time had come.
Here was his tormentor! Here was one of them
within reach! The time had come to strike, to
strike this man, to crush him to earth, to kill the
cause of his suffering--

"Here, boss??," went on the voice, soothingly,
the while Pat smelled a something of the stable
underneath his nose. "Go to it! It's right harmless
-- now, ain't it?" Which it seemed to be from
the smell.

But Pat struck -- reared with the speed of lightning
and struck.

The blow was unexpected. It sent the man
spinning, whirling across the inclosure. He
dropped into a corner like a log.

There was a tense moment. Spectators sat
dazed; horsemen stood rigid; the girl screamed.
Then the large man ran to the prostrate form.
He bent over, gazed briefly, straightened up
with reassuring smile. Presently the assistant

[[62]]

p061 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p062w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p063

v?