"Red's your color for to-day, then?" he questioned, as he put a big hand on the bright-banded head. She nodded archly. "Lucy, I never thought you'd flaunt red in your old Dad's face. Red, when the color of the King is like the sage out yonder. You've gone back on the King." "No, Dad, I never was for Sage King, else I wouldn't wear red to-day." "Child, you sure mean to run in this race--the big one?" "Sure and certain." "Wal, the only bitter drop in my cup to-day will be seein' you get beat. But if you ran second I'll give you a present thet'll make the purse look sick." Even the Indian chiefs were smiling. Old Horse, the Navajo, beamed benignly upon this daughter of the friend of the Indians. Silver, his brother chieftain, nodded as if he understood Bostil's pride and regret. Some of the young riders showed their hearts in their eyes. Farlane tried to look mysterious, to pretend he was in Lucy's confidence. "Lucy, if you are really goin' to race I'll withdraw my hoss so you can win," said Wetherby, gallantly. Bostil's sonorous laugh rolled down the slope. "Miss Lucy, I sure hate to run a hoss against yours," said old Cal Blinn. Then Colson, Sticks, Burthwait, the other principals, paid laughing compliments to the bright-haired girl. Bostil enjoyed this hugely until he caught the strange intensity of regard in the cavernous eyes of Cordts. That gave him a shock. Cordts had long wanted this girl as much probably as he wanted Sage King. There were dark and terrible stories that stained the name of Cordts. Bostil regretted his impulse in granting the horse-thief permission to attend the races. Sight of Lucy's fair, sweet face might inflame this Cordts--this Kentuckian who had boasted of his love of horses and women. Behind Cordts hung the little dust-colored Sears, like a coiled snake, ready to strike. Bostil felt stir in him a long-dormant fire--a stealing along his veins, a passion he hated. "Lucy, go back to the women till you're ready to come out on your hoss," he said. "An' mind you, be careful to-day!" He gave her a meaning glance, which she understood perfectly, he saw, and then he turned to start the day's sport. The Indian races run in twos and threes, and on up to a number that crowded the racecourse; the betting and yelling and running; the wild and plunging mustangs; the heat and dust and pounding of hoofs; the excited betting; the surprises and defeats and victories, the trial tests of the principals, jealously keeping off to themselves in the sage; the endless moving, colorful procession, gaudy and swift and thrilling--all these Bostil loved tremendously. But they were as nothing to what they gradually worked up to--the climax--the great race.