110 BILL HOOD. 



"The Englishman hesitated and finally shook his 

 head, but after taking another look at the horse said, 

 "Hi will make you a sporting hoffer. Split the differ- 

 ence, say three fifty and the gelding/ 



"Half a do^en said 'Don't you do it. He is worth 

 more,' and all that sort of thing, while the Englishman 

 looked daggers at those who were making the demon- 

 stration. The young man never moved an eyelash 

 until all was quiet, when, without even looking to- 

 wards his companion, he said, 'You've traded. Hand 

 over the coin and we will change them here.' The 

 money was paid, the hors-es shifted, and inside of five 

 minutes the young man with the swell city rig and 

 clerical-looking companion had disappeared behind 

 Bill Hood's gelding. 



"Everyone said that the Englishman had bought 

 the best horse at the fair, and as he was feeling good 

 over the bargain, all of the acquaintances that he had 

 made had several rounds with him at the bar. 



"About dusk Bill Hood drove into town behind an 

 old gray horse. All of the best stock had been dis- 

 posed of by that time and the dealers were getting 

 them ready to ship in the cars or start over the road. 

 As some expressed a little surprise that he had not 

 been at the fair, Bill said that his brother and nephew 

 had come on from the west that day to see him, and as 

 he was not feeling very well he thought he would stay 

 at home and visit. One word led to another until Bill 

 was told of the fine show horse that the Englishman 

 had purchased from a stranger, and how he had traded 

 in his old gelding. 



" 'You don't say,' said Bill ; "Well, that is too bad. 



