“Well!” chuckled Corson, not unkindly, “I thought it would be more Perris than Arizona in the wind-up!”

She reddened, but not because of his words.  She was thinking of the impulsive note in which she asked Red Perris to call at the hotel after the race and ask for Marianne Jordan.  Remembering his song from the street, she wondered if he, also, would have the grace to blush when they met.

CHAPTER IV

THE STRENGTH OF THE WEAK

By simply turning about the crowd was in position to watch the race.  Of course it packed dense around the finish on both sides of the lane but Corson had chosen his position well, the white posts were not more than a dozen yards above them and they would be able to see the rush of horses across the line.  It was pleasant to Marianne to turn her back on the scene of the horse-breaking and face her own world which she knew and loved.

The ponies were coming out to be paraded for admiration and to loosen their muscles with a few stretching gallops.  Each was ridden by his owner, each bore a range saddle.  To one accustomed to jockeys and racing-pads, these full-grown riders and cumbrous trappings made the cowponies seem small but they were finely formed, the pick of the range.  The days of mongrel breeds are long since over in the West.  Smaller heads, longer necks, more sloping shoulders, told of good blood crossed on the range stock.  Still, the base-stock showed clearly when the Coles mares came onto the track with mincing steps, turning their proud heads from side to side and every one coming hard on the bit.  Coles had taken no chances, and though he had been forced by the rules of the race to put up the regulation range saddles he had found the lightest riders possible.  Their small figures brought out the legginess of the mares; beside the compact range horses their gait was sprawling, but the wise eye of Marianne saw the springing fetlocks kiss the dust and the long, telltale muscles.  She cried out softly in admiration and pleasure.

“You see the Coles mares?” she said.  “There go the winners, Mr. Corson.  The ponies won’t be in it after two furlongs.”

Corson regarded her with a touch of irritation:  “Now, don’t you be too sure, lady,” he growled.  “Lots of legs, I grant you.  Too much for me.  Are they pure bred?”

“No,” she answered, “there’s enough cold blood to bring the price down.  But Coles is a wise business man.  After they’ve won this race in a bunch they’ll look, every one, like daughters of Salvator.  See that!  Oh, the beauties!”

One of the range horses was loosed for a fifty yard sprint and as he shot by, the mares swayed out in pursuit.  There was a marked difference between the gaits.  The range horse pounded heavily, his head bobbing; the mares stepped out with long, rocking gallop.  They seemed to be going with half the effort and less than half the speed, and yet, strangely, they very nearly kept up with the sprinter until their riders took them back to the eager, prancing walk.  Marianne’s eyes sparkled but the little exhibition told a different story to old Corson.  He snorted with pleasure.