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Chapter 78

           Hewentatarapidrate;notsparinghishorse,alreadyjadedwithaprotractedjourney—ascouldbetoldbyhissweatingcoat,andtheclotsofhalf-coagulatedblood,wherethespurhadbeenfreelyplieduponhisflanks.Freshdropssoonappearedashecanteredsomewhatheavilyon—hisheadsetforthehaciendaofCasadelCorvo.

           Inlessthananhourafter,hisriderwasguidinghimamongthemezquitesthatskirtedtheplantation.

           ItwasapathknowntoCalhoun.Hehadriddenoveritbefore,thoughnotuponthesamehorse.Oncrossingthebedofanarroyo—dryfromalongcontinuanceofdrought—hewasstartledatbeholdinginthemudthetracksofanotherhorse.Oneofthemshowedabrokenshoe,anoldhoof-print,nearlyeightdaysold.Hemadenoexaminationtoascertainthetime.Heknewittoanhour.

           Hebentoverit,withadifferentthought—afeelingofsurprisecommingledwithatouchofsuperstition.Thetracklookedrecent,asifmadeonthedaybefore.Therehadbeenwind,rain,thunder,andlightning.Notoneofthesehadwastedit.Eventheangryelementsappearedtohavepassedoverwithoutdestroyingit—asiftospareitforatestimonyagainsttheoutragedlawsofNature—theirGod.

           Calhoundismounted,withthedesigntoobliteratethetrackofthethree-quartershoe.Betterforhimtohavesparedhimselfthepains.Thecreaseofhisboot-heelcrushinginthestiffmudwasonlyanadditionalevidenceastowhohadriddenthebroken-shoedhorse.Therewasonecomingclosebehindcapableofcollectingit.

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