WE PART FROM FRIENDS 



"Yes/ 1 said he, "there ain't but one horse in the 

 country that's as good as my Charlie, and maybe 

 a little better in some ways, and that's your Black 

 Prince; and I'm going to try to coax you boys to 

 sell me that horse because I've fell in love with 

 him and I need him bad in my business." 



"Why, Bill," said Jack, laughing heartily at the 

 scout's guilelessness, "you ain't no sort of a horse 

 trader. When you want to buy a man's horse 

 you should run him down and make him out no 

 account instead of bragging on him." 



"If I was dealing with horse-jockeys I might do 

 that way," returned Bill, "but when I'm a-dealing 

 with honest men who I know won't take any ad- 

 vantage of me I like to deal on the square with 

 them; and I tell you, honest Injun, that Black 

 Prince is about the best horse I ever threw a leg 

 over. I've heard that you boys have refused an 

 offer of two hundred and fifty dollars from some 

 of the officers at the fort. Now, I'll tell you what 

 I'll do, I'll give you three hundred for him; and 

 if that ain't enough I'll give you more. I ain't 

 got the money with me, but when we get over to 

 the fort I can get it from Weisselbaum. Now, 

 what do you say to that?" 



It was amusing to listen to the unsophisticated 

 proposition of this free-hearted, unselfish fellow. 

 He did not take into consideration that he had 

 just rendered each of us a service of far greater 

 value than several such horses. He did not con- 



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