ert into money
at a sacrifice.

Finally we dealt for a horse and carriage, which was turned over to the
landlord as settlement for board, and which he was just then in need of.
After paying back the fifteen dollars he had loaned us, we took our
departure.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XV.

OUR VISIT TO LA GRANGE, IND.--TRADED FOR A HORSE--FOLLOWED BY AN
OFFICER, WITH A WRIT OF REPLEVIN--PUTTING HIM ON THE WRONG SCENT--HIS
RETURN TO THE HOTEL--THE HORSE CAPTURED--BROKE AGAIN--HOW I MADE A
RAISE.

Our next trade was made near La Grange, Ind., with a man by the name of
Dodge. I remember the name on account of having read an article in a
Sturgis, Mich., paper, wherein it stated that two patent-right men had
recently dodged into La Grange, and after dodging around Mr. Dodge had
dodged him out of a valuable horse, with which they dodged over to
Michigan. This statement was perhaps correct enough, with the exception
of its reference to our dodging over into Michigan, as though we did it
to evade the Indiana laws. This was by no means the case, for we were
authorized agents for the patentee, and always did a strictly legitimate
business, even if we were, at times, "a little short financially."

We took the horse over to Sturgis to try and sell him, stopping at the
Elliott House. Mr. Elliott, Proprietor, has since become one of my most
intimate friends, and is now running a hotel at Ludington, Michigan.

As we were sitting out in front of the Hotel, talking, one morning, I
noticed a stranger coming towards us, carrying a pitch-fork and
band-cutter in one hand, and in the other a large paper.

Mr. Elliott remarked:

"There comes Mr. Dodge's son, now. Guess he is going out peddling your
patent."

I "supposed so."

This was not the case, however, for as he stepped up to Mr. Elliott he
inquired for Johnston, and when I was pointed out to him he made a
tender of the deed and model, and demanded the horse in turn.

I of course refused, whereupon he threatened to replevy, and at once
returned to his lawyer's office.

At that moment a lawyer came up where we were, and Mr. Elliott helped me
to lay the case before him as quickly and plainly as possible, when he
advised that the best way for me, was to get the horse out of the
county, where their papers would be of no avail. I immediately saddled
the animal and started towards Branch County, taking a rather circuitous
route for Burr Oak. I took dinner at Fawn River, wi