to stand at right angles to the mare -- head high,
nostrils quivering, mouth adrip with white slaver -- until
the spirit of rebellion appeared to grip
him afresh. With a convulsive heave he moved
again, making another quarter turn, which brought
him clear of the tongue and facing the vehicle.
Then he set up a nervous little prancing, whisking
his tail savagely, now and again lifting his heels as
if to strike. That was all. He gained no ground
forward, nor did it appear as if he would ever move
forward.

"You -- you--" began Felipe, then subsided,
evidently too wrathful for words. And he remained
silent, gazing wearily toward the settlement,
as though about to call assistance.

The stillness was heavy and portentous. Both
horses were motionless. Felipe continued silent.
Off toward the settlement all was still. Overhead,
the early-morning sky pressed low, spotless and
shimmering, brooding. Around and about, the
flies seemed to stop buzzing. Everywhere lurked
the quiet. The earth appeared bowed in humiliation,
hushed in prayer as for the unfortunate one,
while up and down the trail, basking in world-old
light, lay dust of centuries, smug and contented
in its quiescence. All nature was still,
gripped in tense quiet.

The crack of a whip broke it. Felipe, suddenly
bestirring himself, had sprung forward and dealt
the horse a blow with the butt. Across the nose,
it had sounded hollow and distant; and the horse,
whipping up his head in surprised pain, now

[[105]]

p104 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p105w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p106

v?