As he rode, he came across three swollen bodies of steers, and examined
them. Clearly they had been poisoned, as Bud had said.
Far out on the range he saw a lone steer. Thinking that it was a stray,
he rode toward it, with the intention of driving it back toward the
herd.
For a herd steer, it was acting in an unaccountable manner. At times it
galloped away in a frantic sort of way, throwing its head from side to
side, then as suddenly stopping, and, with drooping head, standing
quietly. Then away it would go again, charging at some unseen foe, only
to become stupid once more.
"Something wrong with that brute," said Ted to himself. "Either it has
got into a nest of rattlesnakes and has been bitten and is charging
them, or it is locoed. We'll soon see."
He kept on fearlessly toward the steer, which continued its strange
conduct.
When he was still several feet away the steer noticed him for the first
time, apparently. It lowered its head and looked at him in a dazed sort
of way.
This steer was known as Blue Eyes, on account of the curious bluish
patch of hair that grew around one of its eyes. It had always been known
as a particularly intelligent and tractable beast.
But now it was a very demon, with gleaming, blood-shot eyes and pawing
hoofs, uttering deep, guttural bellows, and throwing the sand up over
its back to the accompaniment of its thrashing tail.
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