ans
always stole what-- The worst of me is I talk too fast. You see I
lost a lot of horses not long ago, and it's temporarily affected my
judgment. I don't say it was Indians stole 'em--in fact I saw the guy,
but it was too far to catch his pedigree. Anyway, he was dressed
white. One of three got 'em--either my own men, or contractors out
west, or the Indians. If I thought it was my men there'd be a new line
of graves to-morrow--and I don't somehow think the contractors would
risk it. It seemed safer to blame the Indians then. Now? Oh, I guess
I must have been crazy. Them horses weren't stolen. They've taken a
holiday to get a drink, or gone for the World's Series baseball games."

"How much?" repeated the Indian stoically.

"But you don't want horses like them, when you've a circus beast over
there would make them look like a wheelbarrow without the wheel."

"How much?"

Torrance sighed. "Is that all the English teacher knew at your school?
Conrad, he's making me name a price, because I don't know any other way
to stop him. Indian-who-spiks-English, they cost me two hundred
dollars each, and--"

"Daddy!"

"Oh, bother!" Torrance mopped his forehead. "That's the worst of
bringing up a daughter too strict. A real liar hasn't half a chance.
Did I say fifty dollars?"

"Fifty dollars," offered the Indian, unfolding a wallet from his
blanket.

"One hundred dollars--in cold cash--out here in the bush! Say"--he
walked reverently round the Indian, looking him over--"where d'you keep
his scalp? I warn you I haven't ten dollars in the shack--and I'm
getting bald about the crown."

"Fifty dollars!" grunted the Indian.

"I got to turn it down, old friend. They're the only saddle horses,
bar the Police, within a week's journey."

"One hundred dollars."

Torrance walked reverently over to the horses and stared at them.

"I bet they're a damn sight better'n I thought."

"Two hundred each!" There was a finality about the extravagant offer
that impressed Torrance.

"Big Chief," he murmured, "let's see that bank again. To tell you the
truth, I paid exactly ten dollars each for them--and I couldn't rob a
decent citizen. So you see the deal's off: I wouldn't take the money,
and you couldn't go back on your offer."

The Indian was holding out a huge roll of bills. Torrance blinked at
it and turned to Tressa.

"You can't sell, daddy. One is mine, and I'm learning to ride. But
we'll give them th