The ground quaked and the incessant thunder of pounding hoofs rolled on.

Jane felt deafened, yet she thrilled to a new sound.

As the circle of sage lessened the steers began to bawl, and when it closed entirely there came a great upheaval in the center, and a terrible thumping of heads and clicking of horns.

Bawling, climbing, goring, the great mass of steers on the inside wrestled in a crashing din, heaved and groaned under the pressure.

Then came a deadlock.