THE horse's rescue. 223 



Beach did not swallow that. Later on he inquired 

 about this house, and learned from some that it was a 

 hotel for horse-thieves. The horses seemed to feel 

 middling well in the morning, after their long rest — 

 all but my lame mare. She was getting very lame. 



We moved on slowly. In the course of the day we 

 passed through a toll-gate on an old worn plank-road 

 full of broken planks and holes. I stopped, not want- 

 ing to get up any row on the road with any one. I 

 told him this train all belonged to me to pay toll on, 

 which I well knew he had no right to take. I handed 

 him a bill. He took out what he pleased. I did not 

 look to see how much he did take. I put t^^e change 

 in my pocket and moved on, the train all following. 

 After "-oinir about two miles I heard a man veiling; I 

 loobed around ; I saw it was the gate-tender. It was 

 hot; he was a short fat man; he had heated himself 

 np bad. His face was very r(fd. He was wiping off 

 the sweat. He yelled at me, and said I did not pay 

 toll, only half. 



" If you don't pay the balance, and me for coming 

 after you I will have you arrested for running the 

 gate." 



" I did not run the gate," I replied. ** I don't know 

 how much you did take. How much do you want 

 now : 



"I want one dollar." 



"I am going to stop at this hotel to feed. There 

 we can arrange this matter. There is no hurry. It is 

 not necessary for you to run yourself to death. In 

 the first place I have not driven on these planks. My 

 teams could not draw these wagons over these holes. 



