But it had missed by the fraction
of an inch. Straightening himself up to a sitting posture the cowboy
bent forward and sunk his teeth in the upper lip of the prostrate animal
and threw up both hands as a signal to the judges that the brute was
"bulldogged." But the fight had been too hard for him to win first
place. Buck Wade, a lanky cow-puncher from Montana, in three seconds
less time, had thrown a brindle Anchor-O steer and taken first money.
* * * * *
Before the sun dipped into the Costejo peaks the Ramblin' Kid left the
Rodeo and returned alone to the Quarter Circle KT. He told Parker and
the cowboys, all of whom intended to remain in Eagle Butte every night
during the Rodeo, that he would be back in town the next afternoon and
bring with him the Gold Dust maverick. Word had been passed among the
Quarter Circle KT crowd to keep Dorsey and his bunch in the dark as long
as possible regarding the fact that the filly, Ophelia, was the famous
outlaw mare of the lower Cimarron.
After supper Parker, Chuck, Bert and Charley drifted into the Elite
Amusement Parlor. The place was crowded. Mike Sabota immediately singled
out the Quarter Circle KT group and began jollying them about the coming
two-mile sweepstakes.
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