104 BILL HOOD. 



ing and looking, and finally walked over to the stalls 

 where my horses were, to straighten their blankets. As 

 the Englisher had introduced the subject, I finally had 

 to remark that he had a likely looking horse. He 

 thought so. Then there was another spell of silence. 

 I will admit the horse pleased me, but I was shy, as 

 he looked too good for the surroundings. 



"Pulling up a chair, I sat down near a stove that 

 was in a little harness room at one side of the en- 

 trance. The bay horse was put back in his stall, and 

 as it was near the office, I could hear him go to eating 

 right away. In a minute or two the Englisher came 

 in and opened the ball by remarking that he wanted to 

 exchange that horse for a smaller one to mate one he 

 had at home. As I nodded, he followed up the remark 

 that he allowed the brown horse in my team would 

 suit. I then asked him if I would back my horse out 

 on the floor, and he said 'No,' as he had had a good 

 look at him when I drove in, and that was enough for 

 a man with an eye for a horse. I allowed it was, and 

 the conversation stopped again. Somehow I did not 

 feel like trading, even if the big horse did please me, 

 but I could see from the way that the Englishman 

 fidgeted about on his chair that he was getting anxi- 

 ous. Three or four men came into the harness room, 

 but as there was no place for them to sit down they 

 passed out with a 'Good night,' and walked into the 

 house. As the fire in the stove was getting low, and 

 there was no wood in the box, I had almost made up 

 my mind to go into the hotel, when the Englishman 

 asked me how I would trade. I was not looking for 

 that, as I thought after showing me such a toppy 

 horse he would play a waiting game, and as the brown 



