But Glory did not stop.  He whipped around the saloon, whirled past the blacksmith shop and was headed for the mouth of the lane before anyone understood.  Then Chip, suddenly grasping the situation, dug deep with his spurs and yelled.

“He’s broken the bit—­it’s a runaway!”

Thus began the second race, a free-for-all dash up the lane.  At the very start they knew it was hopeless to attempt overtaking that red streak, but they galloped a mile for good manners’ sake; Cal then pulled up.

“No use,” he said.  “Glory’s headed for home and we ain’t got the papers to stop him.  He can’t hurt Weary—­and the dance opens up at six, and I’ve got a girl in town.”

“Same here,” grinned Bert.  “It’s after four, now.”

Chip, who at that time hadn’t a girl—­and didn’t want one—­let Silver out for another long gallop, seeing it was Weary.  Then he, too, gave up the chase and turned back.

Glory settled to a long lope and kept steadily on, gleefully rattling the broken bit which dangled beneath his jaws.  Weary, helpless and amused and triumphant because the race was his, sat unconcernedly in the saddle and laid imaginary bets with himself on the outcome.  Without doubt, Glory was headed for home.  Weary figured that, barring accidents, he could catch up Blazes, in the little pasture, and ride back to Dry Lake by the time the dance was in full swing—­for the dancing before dark would be desultory and without much spirit.

But the gate into the big field was closed and tied securely with a rope.  Glory comprehended the fact with one roll of his knowing eyes, turned away to the left and took the trail which wound like a snake into the foothills.  Clinging warily to the level where choice was given him, trotting where the way was rough, mile after mile he covered till even Weary’s patience showed signs of weakening.

Just then Glory turned, where a wire gate lay flat upon the ground, crossed a pebbly creek and galloped stiffly up to the very steps of a squat, vine-covered ranch-house where, like the Discontented Pendulum in the fable, he suddenly stopped.

“Damn you, Glory—­I could kill yuh for this!” gritted Weary, and slid reluctantly from the saddle.  For while the place seemed deserted, it was not.  There was a girl.

She lay in a hammock; sprawled would come nearer describing her position.  She had some magazines scattered around upon the porch, and her hair hung down to the floor in a thick, dark braid.  She was dressed in a dark skirt and what, to Weary’s untrained, masculine eyes, looked like a pink gunny sack.  In reality it was a kimono.  She appeared to be asleep.

Weary saw a chance of leading Glory quietly to the corral before she woke.  There he could borrow a bridle and ride back whence he came, and he could explain about the bridle to Joe Meeker in town.  Joe was always good about lending things, anyway.  He gathered the fragments of the bit in one hand and clucked under his breath, in an agony lest his spurs should jingle.