_CHAPTER TEN_
"It is a long ride to the house of David," said Jacob. "Your horse isfootsore; take Abra."
But Ephraim broke in: "If you care for speed and wise feet beneath you,Tabari herself is there."
He whistled as Jacob had done before, but with another grace-note at theend.
"Those of my household answer when they are called," continued the oldman proudly. "Listen!"
A soft whinny out of the darkness, and Tabari galloped into thefirelight, and stopped at the side of her master motionless.
"Choose," said Ephraim.
He smiled at Jacob, who in return was darkly silent.
The mare tugged at the heartstrings of Connor, but he answered, slippingcarefully into the formal language which apparently was approved most inthe valley.
"She is worthy of a king, but Abra was offered to me first. But will hecarry a saddle?"
"He will carry anything but a whip," said Jacob, casting a glance oftriumph at Ephraim. "You will see!" He was already busy at the knotunder the flap of Connor's saddle, and presently he slipped the saddlefrom the back of the chestnut. "Come!" he called.
Abra came, but he came like a fighter into the ring, dancing, ready fortrouble.
"Fool!" shouted Jacob, stamping. "Fool, and grandson of a fool, stand!"
The ears of Abra flicked back along his neck and he trembled as thesaddle was swung over him. Under its impact he crouched and shuddered,but the outbreak of bucking for which Connor waited did not come. Thejerk on the cinch brought a snort from him, but that was all.
"We may not put iron in his mouth," said Jacob, as Connor came up withthe bridle, "but a touch on this will turn him or stop him, as youwish."
As he spoke he picked up a small rope, which he knotted around the neckof Abra close to the ears, and handed the end to Connor.
"Look!" he said to the horse, pointing to Connor. "This is your masterto-night. Bear him as you would bear me, Abra, without leaping orstumbling, smoothly, as son of Khalissa should do. And hark," he addedin the ear of the young stallion; "if the mare of Joseph outruns you,you are no horse of my household, but a mongrel, a bloodless knave."
Joseph was already trotting through the gate and growing dim beyond, soConnor put his foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. He landedas upon springs, all the lithe body of the stallion giving under theshock; and Connor felt a quivering power beneath him like the vibrationof a racing motor. Abra's eyes glinted as he threw his head high to takestock of the new master.
"Go," commanded Jacob; "and remember your speed, for the honor of himwho trained you!"
The last words were whipped away from the ear of Connor and trailed intoa murmur behind him, for without a preliminary step Abra sprang from astand into a full gallop. That forward lurch swayed Connor far back; helost touch with his stirrups, but, clinging desperately with his knees,he was presently able to right himself. There was hard gravel beneaththem, but the gait was as soft as if Abra ran in deep sand withoutlabor; there was no more wrench and shock than the ghost of a manriding a ghost of a horse.
A column of black shot by on either hand; Connor was through the gate tothe Garden of Eden and rushing down the slope beyond. He knew thisdimly, but chiefly he was aware only of the whipping of the wind.Something Ephraim had said came into his memory: "If there were ten likeAbra in one corral, and one like Tabari in another, a wise man--" But,no doubt, Ephraim had jested.
For, glancing up, he saw the tops of tall trees rushing past him againstthe sky, and for the first time he knew the speed of that gallop. In hisexultation he threw up his hand, and his shout rang before him andbehind. That taught him a lesson he would never forget when he sat thesaddle on an Eden Gray; for Abra lurched into a run with a suddennessthat swayed Connor against the cantle again.
He steadied himself quickly and called to Abra; the first word cut downthat racing gait to the long, free stride, but the brief rush had takenthe breath of the rider, and now he looked about him.
He had been in California years before, and now he recognized thepeculiar, clean perfume of the trees which lined the road; they were theeucalyptus, and they fenced the way with a gigantic hedge several rowsdeep. It was a winding road that they followed, dipping over a rollingground and swinging leisurely from side to side to avoid high places, sothat the vista of the trees was continually in motion, twisting back andforth; or when he looked straight up he saw the slender tree-pointsbrushing past the stars. So he galloped into a long, straight stretchwith a pale gleam of water beyond it; and between he saw Joseph.
It was strange that in spite of the speed of Abra, Joseph's mare had notbeen overtaken; for no matter what quality the mare might have, shecarried in the gigantic Negro an impost of some two hundred and fiftypounds. A suspicion of discourtesy on his part must have come to Joseph,for now he brought his horse back to a canter that allowed Connor tocome close, so close indeed that he saw Joseph laughing in a horriblesoundless way and beckoning him on, very much as though he challengedAbra. Surely the fellow must know that no horse could concede suchweight to Abra, but Connor waved his arm to signify that he accepted thechallenge, and called on Abra.
There followed the breathless lunge forward, the sinking of the body asthe stride lengthened, the whir of wind against his face; Connor sat thesaddle erect, smiling, and waited for Joseph to come back to him.
But Joseph did not come, and as the mare reached the river and her hoofsrang on the bridge Connor saw with unspeakable wonder that he hadactually lost ground. Once more he called on Abra, and as they struckthe bridge in turn the young stallion was fully extended, while Connorswung forward in the saddle to throw more weight on the withers and takethe strain from the long back muscles. Leaning close to the neck ofAbra, with the mane whipping his face, he squinted down the road atJoseph, and growled with savage satisfaction as he saw the mare driftback to him. If he could reach her with a sprint she was beaten, for shebore the extra burden. Once more he called on Abra, and heard a slightgrunt as the stallion gave the last burst of his strength; the hoofs ofthe two roared on the hard road, and Joseph came back hand over hand.Connor, laughing exultantly, squinted into the wind.
"Good boy!" he muttered. "Good old Abra! If he had Salvator under himwe'd get him at this rate. We're on his hip--Now!"
He was indeed in touch with the flying mare, and, looking through thedimness, he marveled at her long, free swing, the level drive of thecroup, and--he saw with astonishment--her pricking ears! Not as if shewere racing, but merely galloping. He flattened himself along the neckof Abra and called on him again, slapped his shoulder with the flat ofhis hand, flicked him along the flank with the butt of the rope; but themare held him invincibly; he could not gain the breadth of a hair, andby the pounding of Abra's forefeet he knew that the stallion was runninghimself out. At that moment, to crown his bewilderment, Joseph turned,laughing again in that soundless way. Only for a moment; then he turned,and, leaning over the withers of his mount, the mare lengthened, itseemed to Connor, and moved away.
Her hips went past him, then her tail, flying out straight behind, astreak of silver; and last of all, there was the hiss of derision fromJoseph whistling back to him.
Connor threw himself back into the saddle and brought the stallion downto a moderate pace. One hand was clutched at his throat, for it seemedto him that his heart was beating there. Before him raced a vision ofBen Connor, king of the racetracks of the world, with horses nohandicapper could measure.