“That’s right,” nodded the broncho buster, generously; “but how it happens is a sight more than I know!”
Miss Abigail, who had come from the house with the two girls, nodded her head, her hard face softening.
“He is a wonderful young man,” she said. “I do hope he will not be injured, and I hope you’ll be lucky enough to marry him, Inza. If you don’t—well, I’ll marry him myself, and he’s the first male critter I ever saw that I’d have!”
“I didn’t think he could do it,” confessed the rancher’s daughter, her eyes glowing with admiration as she watched Frank struggling with the broncho. “There are old cowboys who would not dare attempt to ride that beast.”
“Frank never fails in anything he attempts,” declared Inza, proudly.
Indian Charlie ground his teeth.
“Who’d dreamed the tenderfoot knew anything about riding such a creature?” he hissed, under his breath. “It is a miracle!”
Still he hoped some accident would happen to Frank.
But no accident occurred, and after five minutes of struggling Merry sprang from the back of the broncho, the creature being taken in charge by several cowboys at once.
“I claim the stake money, Mr. Rodney,” said Hodge.