The Evangelist was puzzled. He could see nothing strange about the matter, and so expressed himself. If a man wanted a good horse cheap, there was the animal—and if he did not, he could let it alone. A liberty of action that would no doubt have powerfully impressed the "'spicious" man were it not that the attention of both was suddenly diverted into other channels. There were heard the murmur of many voices, and the shuffling of many feet on the street, and half a hundred men, picked up from farmers' wagons, trading stores and adjacent fields, rushed into the stable and surrounded Horton and the horse. While he was staring in astonishment at this influx of purchasers, a lank, sandy-complexioned man stepped from the crowd and taking one look at the horse, exclaimed:
"That's him! Whoa, Bob!"
The animal immediately recognizing the voice and name, turned his head and greeted the sandy man with a neigh.
At this Horton stepped back in astonishment, but the next instant was felled to the stable floor by a blow on the head, and three men pounced upon him, crying out:
"No you don't, you scoundrel! You're too late! We've got ye and'll keep ye! You bet!"
"Gentlemen," cried the Evangelist so soon as he could recover breath, "What in the name of Heaven does all this mean?"
"Mean!" exclaimed half a dozen voices, while a score of angry eyes glared vengefully upon him; "Mean? Why it means ye're gone up, ye whelp of a hoss thief!"
"I am no thief!" he indignantly replied. "That horse is my property, and I came by him honestly."
"Ye lie!" shouted he of the sandy complexion, who was now holding 'Bob.' "Ye lie! Ye stole that hoss outer my cow lot night afore last, I kem from Spoonerville down the town-line rud or I'd hev cot ye on the way, an' ef I hed the county ud hev been saved the expense of yer trial!" And giving utterance to this dark shadowing of a vengeful purpose the sandy man glared upon Horton.
"Gentlemen it is false! I—" commenced the Evangelist, but the sandy man, unable to reach him with his hands and hold his horse at the same time, gave the poor captive a vicious kick in the stomach, exclaiming: