meet it with his own. Neither of them spoke. Shefford intuitively
felt an alteration in Lake's regard, or at least a singular increase
of interest. Lake had been told that Shefford had been a clergyman,
was now a wanderer, without any religion. Again it seemed to Shefford
that he owed a forming of friendship to this singular fact. And it
hurt him. But strangely it came to him that he had taken a liking
to a Mormon.

About one o'clock the pack-train left Kayenta. Nas Ta Bega led the way
up the slope. Following him climbed half a dozen patient, plodding,
heavily laden burros. Withers came next, and he turned in his saddle
to wave good-by to his wife. Joe Lake appeared to be busy keeping a
red mule and a wild gray mustang and a couple of restive blacks in the
trail. Shefford brought up in the rear.

His mount was a beautiful black mustang with three white feet, a white
spot on his nose, and a mane that swept to his knees. "His name's
Nack-yal," Withers had said. "It means two bits, or twenty-five cents.
He ain't worth more." To look at Nack-yal had pleased Shefford very
much indeed, but, once upon his back, he grew dubious. The mustang
acted queer. He actually looked back at Shefford, and it was a look
of speculation and disdain. Shefford took exception to Nack-yal's
manner and to his reluctance to go, and especially to a habit the
mustang had of turning off the trail to the left. Shefford had
managed some rather spirited horses back in Illinois; and though he
was willing and eager to learn all over again, he did not enjoy the
prospect of Lake and Withers seeing this black mustang make a novice
of him. And he guessed that was just what Nack-yal intended to do.
However, once up over the hill, with Kayenta out of sight, Nack-yal
trotted along fairly well, needing only now and then to be pulled back