102 BILL HOOD. 



eyes, as if the light hurt them, and twisted one leg 

 around the other. Then with both hands shoved into 

 his trouser pockets he would talk if in the humor. If 

 not, it was "Yes" or "No," and let it go at that. This 

 afternoon he was in the humor and he ran on in this 

 vein : 



"It will be two years in March since I made an ex- 

 change in horesflesh that pleased me. I had a clever 

 brown horse about fifteen one, which had nothing but a 

 little jack. He was in the team when I drove into 

 town the day before the fair. I had made up my mind 

 to come over early to have a talk with the buyers. As 

 I drove into the yard I noticed a thick set man stand-- 

 ing under the shed. He had a double whiffletree pin 

 in his tie and a horseshoe dangling at the end of a fob 

 chain. Thinks I, that must be a swell coachman from 

 the city. What can he be here for. He seemed to 

 know me, although I did not remember having seen 

 him before. As soon as I had put up my team he 

 walked over towards me, and after bidding me the 

 time of day, asked if I had a horse worth buying. As 

 soon as he opened his mouth I knew he was an Eng- 

 lisher, and his whole bearing impressed me as one of 

 those gents who think they know more about a horse 

 than the man who first made them. As I was not 

 very anxious to do any business just then, and especi- 

 ally with this man, as for some reason or other I had 

 taken a dislike to him at first sight you will do that 

 sometimes I said that I had not and walked into the 

 hotel. 



"That night at supper the Englishman again struck 

 up a conversation, and under the conditions there was 

 no getting away from him without leaving the table. 



