HOW THE PINTO SOLD
The glow of virtuous feeling following the performance of their generous act prepared the men for a keener enjoyment than usual of a night's sport.They had just begun to dispose themselves in groups about the fire for poker and other games when Hi rode up into the light and with him a stranger on Gwen's beautiful pinto pony.
Hi was evidently half drunk and, as he swung himself of his bronco, he saluted the company with a wave of the hand and hoped he saw them "kickin'."Bill, looking curiously at Hi, went up to the pinto and, taking him by the head, led him up into the light, saying:
"See here, boys, there's that pinto of mine I was telling you about; no flies on him, eh?""Hold on there! Excuse me!" said the stranger, "this here hoss belongs to me, if paid-down money means anything in this country.""The country's all right," said Bill in an ominously quiet voice, "but this here pinto's another transaction, I reckon.""The hoss is mine, I say, and what's more, I'm goin' to hold him,"said the stranger in a loud voice.
The men began to crowd around with faces growing hard.It was dangerous in that country to play fast and loose with horses.
"Look a-hyar, mates," said the stranger, with a Yankee drawl, "Iain't no hoss thief, and if I hain't bought this hoss reg'lar and paid down good money then it ain't mine--if I have it is.That's fair, ain't it?"At this Hi pulled himself together, and in a half-drunken tone declared that the stranger was all right, and that he had bought the horse fair and square, and "there's your dust," said Hi, handing a roll to Bill.But with a quick movement Bill caught the stranger by the leg, and, before a word could be said, he was lying flat on the ground.
"You git off that pony," said Bill, "till this thing is settled."There was something so terrible in Bill's manner that the man contented himself with blustering and swearing, while Bill, turning to Hi, said:
"Did you sell this pinto to him?"
Hi was able to acknowledge that, being offered a good price, and knowing that his partner was always ready for a deal, he had transferred the pinto to the stranger for forty dollars.
Bill was in distress, deep and poignant."'Taint the horse, but the leetle gel," he explained; but his partner's bargain was his, and wrathful as he was, he refused to attempt to break the bargain.
At this moment the Hon.Fred, noting the unusual excitement about the fire, came up, followed at a little distance by his wife and The Duke.
"Perhaps he'll sell," he suggested.
"No," said Bill sullenly, "he's a mean cuss.""I know him," said the Hon.Fred, "let me try him." But the stranger declared the pinto suited him down to the ground and he wouldn't take twice his money for him.
"Why," he protested, "that there's what I call an unusual hoss, and down in Montana for a lady he'd fetch up to a hundred and fifty dollars." In vain they haggled and bargained; the man was immovable.Eighty dollars he wouldn't look at, a hundred hardly made him hesitate.At this point Lady Charlotte came down into the light and stood by her husband, who explained the circumstances to her.She had already heard Bill's description of Gwen's accident and of her part in the church-building schemes.There was silence for a few moments as she stood looking at the beautiful pony.
"What a shame the poor child should have to part with the dear little creature!" she said in a low tone to her husband.Then, turning to the stranger, she said in clear, sweet tones:
"What do you ask for him?" He hesitated and then said, lifting his hat awkwardly in salute: "I was just remarking how that pinto would fetch one hundred and fifty dollars down into Montana.But seein'
