"Bought him of a man up the road," replied Horton. "I got him at a bargain, and I'll sell him at one."
"How much?" asked the man.
"I'll sell him for fifty dollars, cash," said the Evangelist.
The man stared at Horton a full minute without speaking, slowly running his eye from the Evangelist's head to his feet and up again several times. Then, still whittling, he walked to the barn door, where he turned and gave a sly wink to one of the stolid men present; which pantomimic piece of activity seemed to create some little sensation among the human stolidity present.
One after another they arose, and slowly walking around the horse, eyed him from head to tail, then giving Horton a final examination, passed quietly out of the door, until the latter found himself left alone with his horse.
This situation lasted but a few moments, for the man who first went out shortly returned, still whittling, and commenced interrogating him.
"Whar did ye kum frum? Whar air ye goin'? How long ye hed the animyle? Wot ye want to sell it fur? How'd he kum to be rid so hard?" and numerous other questions were asked and duly answered. Having finished his category, the stable-keeper—for it was the owner and proprietor of the "livery"—remarked:
"Looks mighty 'spicious!"
"What looks suspicious?" asked Horton.
"Oh, nothing," replied the man with a tone and look indicating that his yahoo mind was one immense volume of doubt.