Pricking his long ears forward, Napoleon neighed and watched the black colt eagerly.

Satan stopped in his tracks, refusing to go forward. Tossing his head, he whistled and bared his teeth. As he stood there, tense and rigid, his blazing eyes were fixed upon old Napoleon.

“Guess you might be wrong, Henry,” Alec said. “He doesn’t seem to be taking to Nap.”

“He doesn’t seem to be takin’ to anybody,” Henry growled; then he muttered half to himself, “Those strange, creepy eyes …”

Alec tried talking to the colt, but Satan moved restlessly, his eyes still on Napoleon. Suddenly the colt wheeled, staggered as Alec’s weight threw his light body off balance, and, recovering, screamed again.

Napoleon’s eyes were upon him all the time, soft and wondering.

At last the colt was still. Alec tried to move him forward, but Satan kept his legs rigid. Stroking him, Alec turned to Henry and started to say something. Then, quickly, the colt leapt forward, screaming, carrying Alec with him.

Henry moved fast as Satan, his teeth bared, rushed toward Napoleon. Coming between them, the old man’s hand descended heavily upon Satan’s muzzle. The blow stunned the colt, and as he drew back upon his haunches, Henry closed in upon his head.

When it was over, and Alec and Henry both had hold of the quivering colt, the old man said angrily, “It’s goin’ to be like raisin’ the devil himself. Let’s get him down to the end stall, Alec, away from Napoleon.”

“Maybe he’ll get used to Nap,” Alec said hopefully. “Then it’ll be like it was.”

“Mebbe,” Henry muttered. “Mebbe.”

They didn’t have any trouble moving the colt down the barn, and Alec held him while Henry went into the end stall. Finally he came out and said, “Ready now, Alec. Gave him some hay, too. Mebbe that’ll help some.”

Alec led Satan into the stall and then stood beside him, his cheek pressed hard against the colt’s head. “It’s all strange to you, boy.… I know it is. You can’t help acting the way you do, leaving all you’ve ever known so far behind you. But it’ll be different in a short while, honestly it will. You’ll like it here, Satan.… Your father did, you know. And you’ll get to like Napoleon, too, and he’ll understand why you were excited tonight. We all love you, Satan … you’re ours … you’re what we’ve been waiting for.”

“Comin’, Alec?” Henry asked.

Alec’s hand trailed along the colt’s side as he left the stall.

And as they left the barn, they could hear Satan moving restlessly within, his hoofs occasionally striking the sides of his stall.

They walked in silence until they reached the gate, then Alec said, “I won’t see you tomorrow, then.”

“It’s a five o’clock flight. You’ll be sleepin’.” Henry paused, then added, “I’ll try to get back inside of ten days, Alec. Don’t suspect I’ll have any trouble with Boldt … not if I handle him right.”

“Hope not, Henry.”

“You’ll speak to your father?”

“Tonight or tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow would be better.”

Henry placed his hand on Alec’s arm. “Use your own judgment, Alec. It’s good, an’ you’re carrying the ball now.”

“Yes,” Alec said thoughtfully, his gaze on the house across the street, “it’s my ball, all right.”

Henry’s fingers pressed into Alec’s shoulder, and he mumbled something about seeing the missis; then he shuffled up the street toward the big house on the corner. Alec watched him for a moment, and then started across the street.

BILL OF SALE
5

Alec watched as his mother rose from her chair and began cleaning off the kitchen table. She had reached the head of the table and her hand was on his dad’s empty plate when, hesitating, she turned to Alec. “I believe I’ll leave his setting, and keep the food warm,” she said.