ith her admiration and gratitude. I guess there is no doubt they like
it--boldness. But Lord bless your soul, Dic, I don't know what they
like. I think the best thing you can do is to go to New York with
Sampson, the horse-dealer. He sails out of here in a few days, and if
you will go with him he will pay you five hundred dollars and will allow
you to take a few horses on your own account. You will double your money
if you take good horses."

"Do you really think he would pay me five hundred dollars?" asked Dic.

"Yes, I believe he will. I'll see him about it."

"I believe I'll go," said Dic. "That is, I'll go if--"

"If Rita will let you, I suppose you are going to say," remarked Billy.
"We'll name the new firm of horse-buyers Sampson and Sampson; for if you
are not mindful this gentle young Delilah will shear you."

"I promised her I would not go. I cannot break my word. If she will
release me, I will go, and will thank you with all my heart. Billy
Little, you have done so much for me that I must--I must--"

"There you go. 'Deed if I don't leave you if you keep it up. You have
four or five good horses, and I'll loan you five hundred dollars with
which you may buy a dozen or fifteen more. You may take twenty head of
horses on your own account, and should make by the trip fifteen hundred
or two thousand dollars, including your wages. Why, Dic, you will be
rich. Unless I am mistaken, wealth is greater even than boldness with
icy dragonesses."

"Not with Rita."

"You don't need help of any sort with her," said Billy. "Poor girl, she
is winged for all time. You may be bold or humble, rich or poor; it
will be all one to her. But you want to get her without a fight. You
don't know what a fight with a woman like the Chief Justice means.
Carnage and destruction to beat Napoleon. I believe if you had two
thousand dollars in gold, there would be no fight. Good sinews of war
are great peace-makers."

"I know Rita will release me if I insist," said Dic.

"I'm sure she will," responded his friend.

"I will go," cried Dic, heroically determined to break the tender
shackles of Rita's welding.

"Now you are a man again," said Billy. "You may cause her to cry a bit,
but she'll like you none the less for that. If tears caused women to
hate men, there would be a sudden stoppage in population." Billy sat
contemplative for a moment with his finger tips together. "Men are
brutes"--another pause--"but they salt the earth while