There was silence for a few moments as she stood looking at the beautiful pony.
"What a shame the poor child should have to part with the dear little creature!" she said in a low tone to her husband.

Then, turning to the stranger, she said in clear, sweet tones: "What do you ask for him ?" He hesitated and then said, lifting his hat awkwardly in salute: "I was just remarking how that pinto would fetch one hundred and fifty dollars down into Montana.

But seein' as a lady is enquirin', I'll put him down to one hundred and twenty-five." "Too much," she said promptly, "far too much, is it not, Bill ?" "Well," drawled Bill, "if 'twere a fellar as was used to ladies he'd offer you the pinto, but he's too pizen mean even to come down to the even hundred." The Yankee took him up quickly.

"Wall, if I were so blanked--pardon, madam"-- taking off his hat, "used to ladies as some folks would like to think themselves, I'd buy that there pinto and make a present of it to this here lady as stands before me." Bill twisted uneasily.
"But I ain't goin' to be mean; I'll put that pinto in for the even money for the lady if any man cares to put up the stuff." "Well, my dear," said the Hon.

Fred with a bow, "we cannot well let that gage lie." She turned and smiled at him and the pinto was transferred to the Ashley stables, to Bill's outspoken delight, who declared he "couldn't have faced the music if that there pinto had gone across the line." I confess, however, I was somewhat surprised at the ease with which Hi escaped his wrath, and my surprise was in no way lessened when I saw, later in the evening, the two partners with the stranger taking a quiet drink out of the same bottle with evident mutual admiration and delight.
"You're an A1 corker, you are! I'll be blanked if you ain't a bird--a singin' bird--a reg'lar canary," I heard Hi say to Bill.
But Bill's only reply was a long, slow wink which passed into a frown as he caught my eye.