ntly.

"He's got a wonderful breeding," said Slim, ignoring the question.
"Yes, sir; he's out of the purple, sure enough, and as for age he's
just in his _prime_. There's a lot of racing in him yet. Make me an
offer."

"You don't want me to talk first, do you? I don't reckon I could make
a real offer on a hoss that never wins 'less all the others fall
down. Pharaoh ain't what you might call a first-class buy. From his
looks it costs a lot to keep him."

"Not near as much as you'd think," was the quick rejoinder.
"Pharaoh's a dainty feeder."

"Ah, hah," said Old Man Curry, stroking his beard. "About as dainty
as one of them perpetual hay presses! That nigh foreleg of his has
been stove up pretty bad too. How he runs on it at all beats me."

"He's sound as a nut!" declared Slim vehemently. "There ain't a thing
in the world the matter with him. Ask any vet to look him over!"

"Well, Slim, I dunno's he's worth the expense. Come on, now; tell me
what's the least you'll take for him?"

"Five hundred dollars."

"Give you a hundred and fifty cash."

"Say, do you want me to make you a present of him?" demanded Slim,
indignantly sarcastic. "Maybe you think I'd ought to throw in a
halter so's you can lead him away!"

"No," said Old Man Curry. "I won't insist on a halter. I got plenty
of my own. You said yourself he wa'n't no good and I thought you
meant it. I was just askin' if you'd sell him; that was all. Keep him
till Judgment Day, if you want him. No harm done." Old Man Curry
began to walk away.

"Hold on a minute!" said Slim, trying hard to keep the anxious note
out of his voice. "Be reasonable, old-timer. Make me an offer for the
horse: one that a sensible man can accept."

Old Man Curry paused and glanced over his shoulder.

"Why," said he, faintly surprised, "I kind of thought I'd done that
a'ready!"

"_Look_ at him!" urged Slim. "Did you ever see a more powerful horse
in your life? And smart too. A hundred and fifty dollars! One side of
him is worth more than that!"

"Likely it is," agreed the old man solemnly. "Seems to me I saw a
piece in the paper 'bout a cannery where they was goin' to put up
hoss-flesh!"

"I admit he's had a lot of bad luck," persisted Slim, "but get
Pharaoh warmed up once and he'll surprise you. Didn't you see how
fast he was coming to-day?"

"The numbers was up before he got in," was the dry response. "What's
the good of a hoss that won't begin to run until the race is over?