his jaw out sidewise, as his habit is when he
pulls, and changed his leg. His voice was hard and heavy, and his ears
were close to his big, plain Hambletonian head.

"How old are you?" he said to the yellow horse.

"Nigh thirteen, I guess."

"Mean age; ugly age; I'm gettin' that way myself. How long hev ye been
pawin' this firefanged stable-litter?"

"If you mean my principles, I've held 'em sence I was three."

"Mean age; ugly age; teeth give heaps o' trouble then. 'Set a colt to
actin' crazy fer a while. You've kep' it up, seemin'ly. D'ye talk much
to your neighbours fer a steady thing?"

"I uphold the principles o' the Cause wherever I am pastured."

"'Done a heap o' good, I guess?"

"I am proud to say I have taught a few of my companions the principles
o' freedom an' liberty."

"Meanin' they ran away er kicked when they got the chanst?"

"I was talkin' in the abstrac', an' not in the concrete. My teachin's
educated them."

"What a horse, specially a young horse, hears in the abstrac', he's
liable to do in the Concord. You was handled late, I presoom."

"Four, risin' five."

"That's where the trouble began. Driv' by a woman, like ez not--eh?"

"Not fer long," said the yellow horse, with a snap of his teeth.

"Spilled her?"

"I heerd she never drove again."

"Any childern?"

"Buckboards full of 'em."

"Men too?"

"I have shed conside'ble men in my time."

"By kickin'?"

"Any way that come along. Fallin' back over the dash is as handy as
most."

"They must be turr'ble afraid o' you daown taown?"

"They've sent me here to get rid o' me. I guess they spend their time
talkin' over my campaigns."

"I wanter know!"

"Yes, sir. Now, all you gentlemen have asked me what I can do. I'll just
show you. See them two fellers lyin' down by the buggy?"

"Yep; one of 'em owns me. T'other broke me," said Rod.

"Get 'em out here in the open, an' I'll show you something. Lemme hide
back o' you peoples, so's they won't see what I'm at."

"Meanin' ter kill 'em?" Rod drawled. There was a shudder of horror
through the others; but the yellow horse never noticed.

"I'll catch 'em by the back o' the neck, an' pile-drive 'em a piece.
They can suit 'emselves about livin' when I'm through with 'em."

"'Shouldn't wonder ef they did," said Rod. The yellow horse had hidden
himself very cleverly behind the others as they stood in a group, and
was swaying his head close to the ground with a curious scythe-like