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writing off a feed and stabling charge. The gray horse is not yours to sell."

    "The saddle is not for sale. I will keep it. Lawyer Daggett can prove the ownership of the gray horse. He will come after you with a writ of replevin."

    "All right, now listen very carefully as I will not bargain further. I will take the ponies back and keep the gray horse and settle for three hundred dollars. Now you must take that or leave it and I do not much care which it is."

    I said, "I am sure Lawyer Daggett would not wish me to consider anything under three hundred and twenty-five dollars. What you get for that is everything except the saddle and you get out of a costly lawsuit as well. It will go harder if Lawyer Daggett makes the terms as he will include a generous fee for himself."

    "Lawyer Daggett! Lawyer Daggett! Who is this famous pleader of whose name I was happily ignorant ten minutes ago?"

    I said, "Have you ever heard of the Great Arkansas River, Vicksburg & Gulf Steamship Company?"

    "I have done business with the G.A.V.&G.," said he.

    "Lawyer Daggett is the man who forced them into receivership," said I. "They tried to 'mess' with him. It was a feather in his cap. He is on familiar terms with important men in Little Rock. The talk is he will be governor one day."

    "Then he is a man of little ambition," said Stonehill, "incommensurate with his capacity for making mischief. I would rather be a country road overseer in Tennessee than governor of this benighted state. There is more honor in it."

    "If you don't like it here you should pack your traps and go back where you came from."

    "Would that I could get out from under!" said he. "I would be aboard the Friday morning packet with a song of thanksgiving on my lips."

    "People who don't like Arkansas can go to the devil!" said I "What did you come here for?"

    "I was sold a bill of goods."

    "Three hundred and twenty-five dollars is my figure."

    "I would like to have that in writing for what it is worth." He wrote out a short agreement. I read it over and made a change or two and he initialed the changes. He said, "Tell your lawyer to send the letter to me here at Stonehill's Livery Stable. When I have it in my hand I will remit the extortion money. Sign this."

    I said, "I will have him send the letter to me at the Monarch boardinghouse. When you give me the money I will give you the letter. I will sign this instrument when you have given me twenty-five dollars as a token of your good faith." Stonehill gave me ten dollars and I signed the paper.

    I went to the telegraph office. I tried to keep the message down but it took up almost a full blank setting forth the situation and what was needed. I told Lawyer Daggett to let Mama know I was well and would be home soon. I forget what it cost.

    I bought some crackers and a piece of hoop cheese and an apple at a grocery store and sat on a nail keg by the stove and had a cheap yet nourishing lunch. You know what they say, "Enough is as good as a feast." When I had finished eating I returned to Stonehill's place and tried to give the apple core to one of the ponies. They all shied away and would have nothing to do with me or my gift. The poor things had probably never tasted an apple. I went inside the stock barn out of the wind and lay down on some oat sacks. Nature tells us to rest after meals and people who are too busy to heed that inner voice are often dead at the age of fifty years.

    Stonehill came by on his way out wearing a little foolish Tennessee hat. He stopped and looked at me.

    I said, "I am taking a short nap."

    He said, "Are you quite comfortable?"

    I said, "I wanted to get out of the wind. I figured you would not mind."

    "I don't want you smoking cigarettes in here."

    "I don't use tobacco."

    "I don't want you punching holes in those sacks with your boots."

    "I will be careful. Shut that door good when you go out."

    I had not realized how tired I was. It was well up in the afternoon when I awoke. I was