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ing. The youth crouched instantly and the iron-shod hoofs crashed into the wall just above his head.

"God's little hell!" thought the teamster, switching on his flashlight and leaping into the adjoining stall. But the next mule was as infuriated as its mate. In the ray of his light Abner glimpsed the swift balling up of enormous haunches. Next moment the hoofs crashed past him. He flattened against the stall bar shouting, "Tobe! Sam! Be quiet, boys! Whoa there, whoa!"

The sweep of his light showed him a long row of mules, all kicking or standing trembling and flocked with sweat. While farther up toward the end of the stable two mules were lying down.

Oddly enough these quiet mules shocked Abner's nerves more than did the lunging furies. He climbed along the stall partition to the nearest door, loosed the hasp and jumped outside. He ran to the end stalls and entered the rank ammoniacal darkness again.

His flashlight showed him the two mules on the dirt floor of their stalls. At his light, they lunged helplessly, getting their hind legs under them only to roll against the stall bars. The animals had been hamstrung. Pain from their tearing muscles covered them with lather; and blood and ordure stunk from the ground. A plank had been pried off the back of the stable to permit the entrance of the miscreant. Through this same hole, no doubt he had fled when the kicking of the mules had stopped his cruelty.

A tide of fury seized Abner, tightening his belly, lifting his chest and setting two hot coals behind his eyes. The mules were as near to him as human dependents. He strode past one trembling, prostrate animal, patting its wet hide with unsteady hands. The next moment he was out through the gap into the bushes behind the stable.

"God damn ye!" he yelled at the top of his voice. "Come here, you damn yellow houn'. I'll beat hell out of ye. I'll—"

Then he realized the insanity of shouting and cursing in