grow'd hair--him an' that pinto, yonder, that's hangin' back on the
rope."

The Texan drew up directly in front of the lumber pile and ignoring
Purdy entirely, raised his Stetson to the girl. The direct cutting of
Purdy had been obviously rude and Alice Marcum felt an increasing
dislike for the man. She returned his greeting with a perfunctory nod
and instantly felt her face grow hot with anger. The Texan was
laughing at her--was regarding her with an amused smile.

A yell went up from the crowd and out on the flat beyond the Texan, a
horse, head down and back humped like an angry cat, was leaping into
the air and striking the ground stiff-legged in a vain effort to shake
the rider from his back.

"'Bout as lively as a mud turtle. He'll sulk in a minute," laughed the
Texan, and true to the prophecy, the horse ceased his efforts and stood
with legs wide apart and nose to the ground.

"Whoopee!"

"He's a ringtailed woozoo!"

"Thumb him!"

"Scratch him!"

The crowd laughed and advised, and the cowboy thumbed and scratched,
but the broncho's only sign of animation was a vicious switching of the
tail.