Wal, when Hairoil up and left me, I kept right on a-studyin'. I knowed, a-course, that I could go kick up a fuss when Simpson stopped by his office on his trip back from Goldstone. But that didn't seem such a' awful good plan. Also, I could---- Just then, I heerd my cow-pony kinda whinny. I glanced over towards her. She was standin' right where I'd left her, lines on the ground, eyes peeled my way. And _such_ a look as she was a-givin' me!--like she knowed what I was a-worryin' about and was surprised I was so blamed thick. I jumped up and run over to her. "Maud," I says, "you got more savvy 'n any horse I know, bar _none_. _Danged if we don't do it!_" First off, I sent word t' Billy that he was to show up at the Sewell ranch-house about four o'clock. And when three come, me and Maud was on the Bar Y road where it goes acrosst that crick-bottom. She was moseyin' along, savin' herself, and I was settin' sideways like a real lady so's I could keep a' eye towards town. Pretty soon, 'way back down the road, 'twixt the barb-wire fences, I seen a cloud of dust a-travellin'--a-travellin' so fast they couldn't be no mistake. And in about a minute, the signs was complete--I heerd a toot. I put my laig over then. Here he come, that Simpson in his smelly Pullman, takin' the grade like greased lightin'. "Now, Maud!" I whispers to the bronc. And, puttin' my spurs into her, I begun t' whip-saw from one fence to the other. He slowed up and blowed his whistle. I hoed her down harder'n ever. "You're a-skeerin' my hoss," I yells back. "Pull t' one side," he answers. "I want to git by." But Maud wouldn't pull. And everywheres Simpson was, she was just in front, actin' as if she was scairt plumb outen her seven senses. The worse she acted, a-course, the madder _I_ got! Fin'lly, just as Mister Doc was managin' to pass, I got _turrible_ mad, and, cussin' blue blazes, I took out my forty-five and let her fly. One of them hind tires popped like the evenin' gun at Fort Wingate. Same minute, that hidebound rig-a-ma-jig took a shy and come nigh buttin' her fool nose agin a fence-post. But Simpson, he geed her quick and started on. I put a hole in the other hind tire. She shied again--opp'site _di_rection--snortin' like she was wind-broke. He hawed her back. Then he went a-kitin' on, leavin' me a-eatin' his dust. But I wasn't _done_ with him, no, ma'am. Right there the road make a kinda horse-shoe turn--like this, y' savvy--to git 'round a fence corner. I'd cal'lated on that. I just give Maud a lick 'longside the haid, jumped her over the fence, quirted her a-flyin' acrosst that bend, took the other fence, and landed about a hunderd feet in front of him. When he seen me through his goggles, he come on full-steam. I set Maud a-runnin' the same _di_rection--and took up my little rope. About two shakes of a lamb's tail, and it happened. He got nose and nose with me. I throwed, ketchin' him low--'round his chest and arms. Maud come short.