t was no go. I argued and produced evidence till
I was black in the face, but Pa just kept saying he wouldn't sanction no
such deal, and Ma she agreed with him. So you bet I felt like a whipped
school-boy as me and him set side by side and drove into town. He was
bewailing all the way that he'd fetched into the world an only son that
was no better than a hog-thief in principle, an', if I didn't change, me
'n him would have to part.

"When we got to the square I saw Tobe Wilks standing in the door of the
store, and I saw that he was mad. At first I thought he'd found out
about the hoss, but I saw it wasn't that as soon as he reached the
buggy.

"'Now, I'll tell you right now,' he said to Pa, when the old man drawed
the roll out and started to hand it to him over my legs. 'You sha'n't
come here and try to back down in a fair trade like that. I made it
before witnesses, and your boy said he had your consent. I've sent the
hoss out home, and I don't do business that way.' Pa tried to get in a
word, but Tobe 'ud cut him short as soon as he opened his mouth, so the
old man couldn't do anything but wave the money at him.

"'If you get the hoss you'll do it by law,' Tobe went on, fairly
frothing at the mouth, 'and I'll put your boy in the pen for selling
stolen property. You can't browbeat me, you old hog.'

"'Old hog!' I heard Pa grunt in his beard, and he stuffed the roll down
in his pants pocket. Now Pa wouldn't take advantage of his worst enemy
in a trade, but he'd fight a bosom friend if he was insulted. And before
I could bat my eyes he had lit out of the buggy, and him and Wilks was
engaged in a scrap that'ud make two wildcats go off and take lessons.
The town marshal run up and parted them by the aid of bystanders, and
some of 'em persuaded me to drive Pa home. He was a good, holy man, but
he cussed all the way, and ended by saying that Wilks never should see
hair nor hide of that money. And he never offered it back again,
neither, and him and Wilks never spoke for two years. Pa bought a fine
Kentucky mare with the money, and used to chuckle every time she'd pass
him. He got so he thought hoss-trading wasn't the worst crime on earth."

"And what became of the hoss?" the listener asked.

"I never knew," Henley answered; "men don't advertise such things when
they go against them. But one day, during election, Tobe asked me to
cast a vote for his son, and I promised to do it, and we got kinder
friendly. As he was lea