COPPER KING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

COPPER KING.

"OIi! What a beautvi"

The exel sanation vra£ wrung from tie lips of Tui Baynor, as eh© and her brother Ted turned toe corner of the huge ranch corral and saw for the first time the magnificent wild horse their father had captured. He wa& a beautiful deep bay colour that glistened in the sunshine as he stamped impatiently up and down his prison, and hie fiery eyes glared defiance at the boy and girL "What have you named him, Ted?" asked Tai, a* she gaaed admiringly at the hand&ome beast.

King," replied her brother, and Tui thought no name could have _ suited the 'icrso better. The boy and girl lived on a huge ranch in the far West, and this particular day their father and all hie cowboys were about ten miles away on a neighbouring ranch. As Ted Baynor gazed through the corral bars he became possessed of a longing desire to ride Copper King, and, though Tui strongly objected when he told her, tie boy's mind was made up. "Mr. Baynor had left the liorae bridled and Middled so that he could get used' to them, but as yet no on© had been on hi* back. It was easy enough for Ted to catch Copper King, but the moment the great horse felt the boy in the saddle he wheeled furiously. For the next moment Tui saw nothing but a eland of dust. When it was cleared Ted was lying in an insensible heap at one end of the corral, while Copper King ataanped at the other. She half carried, half dragged him out, and made him comfortable.

At a glance she saw Me condition was serious and that she most g&t help immediately. But how? There wu noft a horse within, miles except Copper King. Copper King? Even a* the thought flashed through Tufa mind she resolved to ride the horse who had almost cost her brother Mi life. She opened wide the corral gates, then, walking up to Copper King, she leapt into the saddle. All the great horse saw was the open corral gates and beyond them what meant everything m his wild, untaaned life —freedom! With one bound he cleared the corral and dashed madly toward the hills. How Tui managed to guide Copper King on to the right trail she never knew, but soen the great horse was thundering towards the place where her father was working. Copper King's hooves churned the earth as he a ped on, and soon he neared the place where Mr. Raynor was working. The girl put all her weight on the reins, but Copper King still galloped on. Mr. Raynor heard her call for help and hastily summoning his cow boy galloped across the field to stop his daughter's horse. Mr. Raynor seized Tui from the saddle as one of the cowboys caught Copper King's bridle and brought him to a standstill. Hastily Tui gasped out her story and for the first time that day the men put spurs to their horses as they flew homewards. Ted had to stay six long months in bed, but Tui helped to make up for it. Copper King eeemed to think that Tui was his mistr<?ss, for after that she could ride him anywhere. Mr. Raynor noticed thia, and in due course, the great horse became Toi's own.