strange master, he suddenly found himself thinking
of the little ranch beside the river, and of
his loving mistress, and also the cold and cruel
Mexican hostler. And, thinking of them, he
found himself thinking also of another, one who
had accompanied him and his mistress on many
delightful trips in the valley and up on the mesa
in the shadow of the mountains. And now, thinking
of this person, he somehow recognized this
young man before him fully, and wondered why
this had not come to him before. For this was the
same young man -- curiously pale, curiously drawn
and haggard -- but yet the same man. Understan cling,
understanding everything, he nickered softly
and pressed close, mindful of yet another thing-something
that had helped to make his life on the
little ranch so pleasant and unforgettable. What
he was mindful of, and what he now sought, was
sugar and quartered apples.

[[255]]

p254 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p255w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p256

v?