I looked to my left then, and nose, neck, and shoulder Sank slowly, sank surely, till back to my thighs; And up through the black blowing veil of her hair Did beam full in mine her two marvelous eyes With a longing and love, yet look of despair, And a pity for me, as she felt the smoke fold her, And flames reaching far for her glorious hair. Her sinking steed faltered, his eager ears fell To and fro and unsteady, and all the neck’s swell Did subside and recede, and the nerves fell as dead. Then she saw that my own steed still lorded his head With a look of delight, for this Paché, you see, Was her father’s and once at the South Santafee Had won a whole herd, sweeping everything down In a race where the world came to run for the crown; And so when I won the true heart of my bride,―― My neighbor’s and deadliest enemy’s child, And child of the kingly war-chief of his tribe,―― She brought me this steed to the border the night She met Revels and me in her perilous flight, From the lodge of the chief to the north Brazos side; And said, so half guessing of ill as she smiled, As if jesting, that I, and I only, should ride The fleet-footed Paché, so if kin should pursue I should surely escape without other ado Than to ride, without blood, to the north Brazos side, And await her,――and wait till the next hollow moon Hung her horn in the palms, when surely and soon And swift she would join me, and all would be well Without bloodshed or word. And now as she fell From the front, and went down in the ocean of fire, The last that I saw was a look of delight That I should escape,――a love,――a desire,―― Yet never a word, not a look of appeal.―― Lest I should reach hand, should stay hand or stay heel One instant for her in my terrible flight. Then the rushing of fire rose around me and under, And the howling of beast like the sound of thunder,―― Beasts burning and blind and forced onward and over, As the passionate flame reached around them and wove her Hands in their hair, and kissed hot till they died,―― Till they died with a wild and a desolate moan, As a sea heart-broken on the hard brown stone, And into the Brazos I rode all alone―― All alone, save only a horse long-limbed, And blind and bare and burnt to the skin. Then just as the terrible sea came in And tumbled its thousands hot into the tide, Till the tide blocked up and the swift stream brimmed In eddies, we struck on the opposite side.