No doubt the tall trees, serving as lightning deflectors, had saved them.

While the captain went inside the barn to his mare, Alec waited and spoke to the Black without benefit of a spoken word, his touches soft and gentle.

Finally the captain emerged from the barn, striding quickly toward them. Alec had only to look at the captain’s face to know that the mare was safe. Despite the difference in their ages and backgrounds, he and the captain had a deep bond in common, for each was one with his horse.

“It’s too late for you to leave now,” the captain said. “You’ll have to spend the night.”

Alec nodded. He could not attempt the long trip in the darkness. “They’ll wonder what happened to me,” he said. “They’ll be worried.”

“We can avoid that,” the captain said quickly. “I’ll have Odin take a message, at least as far as the Seminole village; his friends will see that it’s delivered to the ranch.”

“You’re sure?” Alec asked, surprised that anyone could find his way through the swamp at night.

“Of course,” the captain said. “There will be no problem. He has a canoe and goes by the waterways.”

The night was still except for the fronds of palm trees rattling ominously in the wind. The air was cool, for the storm had driven off the intense heat. To the north, Alec could see skittering sheets of lightning, flashing luridly, then vanishing in the night sky.

“Where will we put him?” he asked, nodding toward his horse. “The shed’s not safe. The roof could fall in any time.”

“There are several stalls in the barn,” the captain answered. “We will put him there.”

Alec didn’t like it. The mare was so ready to be bred. His concern must have been obvious, for the captain said, “You needn’t worry. I can put him at the far end of the barn, well away from her.”

“All right,” Alec said resignedly.

Later, he walked beside the captain through the evening shadows. He had spent the last hour as he would have done at home, putting up his horse for the night. He had brushed him off and cleaned his feet. He had fetched water and hay for him and put his bed straight. He had made sure the stall door was locked, so there was no possibility of the Black’s getting to the mare—but he knew his horse’s squeals would go on most of the night. There was nothing more to be done except wait for morning, when he could leave.

He wondered if it had been a mistake to stay. Perhaps he should have tried to make it, even going with Odin part of the way. But he didn’t trust the old man. A short while ago, he had seen him disappear into the gravelike hush of the swamp, taking to the Seminole village the message which the captain had given him. No, Alec decided, he would not have wanted to go along with Odin.

Yet how much safer was he here? Alec tried to shrug off this line of thought. It was silly to think he was in any danger. He was with another horseman who had been good enough to put him up for the night.

A mist hung over the silver-blue sheen of the swamp; the stars shone like primrose diamonds in the heavens. It was really a very beautiful night.