ips down there for quite
a while, an' I promise you, she's a thoroughbred, an' high strung, but
as even gaited as ever stepped. Yes, sir!"

"She is all that, I think, Sam," said Franklin soberly.

"Then it's a go, Cap?"

"Well, I'll tell you, Sam," said Franklin kindly, "maybe we'd better
let it run along a little while as it is. You know, girls have odd
notions of their own. Perhaps a girl would rather have a man speak for
himself about that sort of thing. And then, the asking sometimes is
the easiest part of it."

"Then you'll ast Nory for me?"

"Well, if I could say a word, just a hint, you know--"

"You won't!" exclaimed Sam bitterly, and in tones; of conviction. "You
won't! There ain't nobody won't! I've tried, an' there won't nobody!
There'll be some d----d cow-puncher blow in there some day and marry
that Nory girl, an' I never will git to tell her the way I feel."

"Oh, yes, you will," said Franklin. "It'll come to you some time; and
when it does, friend," he added gravely, laying a hand upon Sam's
shoulder, "I hope she'll not say no to you forever."

"Forever, Cap?"

"Yes, it sometimes happens that way."

"Forever? Well, if Nory ever said no to me onct, that shore would
settle it. I know what I'd do: I'd sell out my barn an' I'd hit the
trail mighty quick. Do they ever do that way, Cap?"

"Yes," said Franklin, "they tell me that they sometimes do. They're
strange creatures, Sam."

"An' that's no lie!" said Sam. "But here, I'm forgettin' of your span."

He disappeared within the barn, whence presently arose sounds of
tumult. The "span" emerged with one half of its constituent parts
walking on its hind legs and lashing out viciously in front.

"Well, I don't know about that black," said Franklin critically. "He's
a bit bronco, isn't he?"

"What, him?" said Sam. "Naw, he's all right. You don't suppose I'd
run in any wild stock on you, do you? He's been hitched up sever'l
times, an' he's plumb gentle. May rare up a little at first, but he's
all right. Of course, you want to have a little style about you, goin'
down there."

Franklin got into the buggy, while Sam held the head of the "plumb
gentle" horse. When cast loose the latter reared again and came down
with his fore feet over the neck yoke. Nimbly recovering, he made a
gallant attempt to kick in the dashboard. This stirred up his mate to
a thought of former days, and the two went away pawing and plunging.
"So long!"