into a gait the like of which he had not taken since
his breathless speeding to the accompaniment of
shots. Out across the desert he raced, breasting
a cold wind, on and on till he found himself in a
small railroad town. Here he was pulled up before
a little cottage, and saw his friend mount the
front steps and pull a tiny knob in the frame of
the door. A moment of waiting and he saw a
portly man appear, heard sharp conversation, saw
his friend run down the steps. Then again he felt
the prick of spurs, and found himself once more
cantering across the desert. But not toward home.
Late in the afternoon, wearied and suffering hunger
pangs, he found himself in another small town
and before another tiny cottage, with his friend
pulling at a knob as before, and entering into crisp
conversation with the person who answered, a lean
man this time, who nodded his head and withdrew.
After this he once more breasted the cold
winds, worse now because of the night, and continued
to breast them until he found himself back
in the stable.

Thus he had his wish. But it was really more
than he had wanted, and thereafter he was content
to remain in peace and rest in the stable.
But he was not always confined to the stable now.
His friend began to permit him privileges, and
one of these was the spending of long hours outdoors
in a private corral. Here, basking in the
sunlight, which was not free from winter chill, he
would spend whole days dreaming and wondering
--?? wondering for the most part about his master,

[[281]]

p280 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p281w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p282

v?