Part 9 (1/2)
”I was only sorry for the horse,” Betty explained gravely ”He was game, as you say, and I hated to see his spirit entirely broken”
Andy Rawlinson looked at her with ad approval in his nice eyes
”There speaks the real lover of aniood hoss myself, but you see it has to be done--for the sake of the hoss A hoss that's a bad actor is
It has to be killed--or broke So we break 'e toward the corrals, ”I reckon you young ladies would like to pick out soirls nodded and crowded forward eagerly while Andy called to so enviously near
”Bring out the sorrel and nigger, will you, Jake?” he said to one of theirls watched with interest while the boys corraled the four horses Andy had selected and led them forth for the visitors' inspection
They were splendid speciirls were sier, as his nanificent coal-black animal without a speck of white upon him anywhere He and Betty seemed to forentle whinny he cantered up to the girl and began nosing inquisitively in her pocket in search of sugar Luckily Betty had brought some with her, and she fed a couple of lu their pact of friendshi+p
”Oh you, nigger!” crooned Betty joyfully, as she rubbed the velvet reat little pals, aren't we? You perfect old darling!” And nigger whinnied again and nosed about forthe silence in which they had all been enjoyably regarding the little scene ”Betty doesn't have to choose her horse--it chooses her”
”Oh well, Betty always did have a ith her,” laughed Mollie, and pro three horses
”Lady” was a lovely white filly hom Amy fell in love i a possessive hand on Lady's flank while the latter turned her dainty head and regarded the girl out of softly-wistful brown eyes ”I wanted her as soon as I saw her”
Her clai over the horse called Nabob, as, by a strange coincidence, that very light tan color which she most adored
”How did you know I alanted a horse just like this?” she cried, turning joyfully to Andy Rawlinson ith the other ”boys” had been looking on arin, ”seems like you are all suited pretty well”
For Mollie, whose adventurous spirit craved a spice of the dangerous in everything, had taken iiven no naentle, as Andy explained, but ”pow'ful nervous--had to be sort o' coaxed along”
”You'rethe ani eyes and nervously twitching ears ”I don't like 'em too tame, old boy And by the way,” she added, struck by a sudden inspiration, ”I've thought of just the na to call you 'Old Nick'”
And so, when the selection had been irls ht their riding tags in preparation for their suht breeches, and leather leggings, tailored coat, and snug fitting hat, they looked like what they were--four thoroughly modern and very pretty Outdoor Girls
Later, when they rode proudly about the ranch on their splendid mounts, the ranch hands were lost in ad his hat and fanning hi arirls comin' froirls, they ain't no ordinary kind, no siree An' they sho' does kno to ride”
However, the girls were satisfied with a rather short ride that evening for they were out of practice and they knew that sore muscles would be the price of over-exertion
In the days that followed they took longer and longer rides, even venturing along the rough forest trails when Andy Rawlinson ith theuide and protector Mr and Mrs Nelson rode, too, but, not being as strenuous as the girls, they were glad to have any one as capable as Andy Rawlinson to look out for their charges
But one day, ot a little tired of Andy's chaperonage, and at Mollie's suggestion they decided to ”give hiranny, the way he dictates to us,” she complained, as she flicked a fly fro hiht now, and I'm sure we Outdoor Girls never needed anybody to look out for us, anyway”
”Hear, hear,” laughed Betty, half way between conviction and protest ”I don't like to have Andy around all the time, any more than you do, Mollie, but I'ht