"That is true. It is a well-mannered colt." Elijah caught at a new straw of hope. "Also, in the field, if two colts race home for water and Timeh is one, she reaches the water first--always. She comes to me like a child. In the morning she slips out of the paddock, and coming to my window, she puts in her head and calls me with a whinny as soft as the voice of a man. Then I arise and go out to her and to Juri." Ruth was weeping openly, her hand closed hard on the arm of Connor; and she felt the muscles along that arm contract. She almost loved the gambler for his rage at the inexorable David. "Consider Juri, also," said Elijah. "Seven times--I numbered them on my fingers and remembered--seven times when the horses were brought before you in the morning, you have called to Juri and mounted her for the morning ride--that was before Glani was raised to his full strength. And always the master has said: "'Stout-hearted Juri! She pours out her strength for her rider as a generous host pours out his wine!'" David frowned, but plainly he was touched. "Juri!" he called, and when the noble mare came to him, he laid his hand on her mane. "Who has spoken of Juri? Surely I am not judging her this day. It was Matthew who judged her when she was a foal of six months." "And it was Matthew," added Elijah hastily, "who loved her above all horses!" "Ah!" muttered David, deeply moved. "Consider the heart of Juri," went on Elijah, timidly following this new thread of argument. "When the mares neigh and the colts come running, there will be none to gallop to her side. When she goes out in the morning there will be no daughter to gallop around and around her, tossing her head and her heels. And when she comes home at night there will be no tired foal leaning against her side for weariness." "Peace, Elijah! You speak against the law." In spite of himself, the glance of Elijah turned slowly and sullenly until it rested upon Ruth Manning. David followed the direction of that look and he understood. There stood the living evidence that he had broken the law of the Garden at least once. He flushed darkly. "The colt's gone," said Connor in a savagely-controlled murmur to the girl. "That devil has made up his mind. His pride is up now!" Elijah, too, seemed to realize that he had thrown away his last chance. He could only stretch out his hands with the tears streaming down his wrinkled face and repeat in his broken voice: "Mercy, David, mercy for Timeh and Juri and Elijah!" But the face of David was iron.