bargained for the wrangler's remaining beans, and sat into the
game. While we were catching up our night horses, Honeyman told us
that the old man had been joking Stallings about the speed of Flood's
brown, even going so far as to intimate that he didn't believe that
the gelding could outrun that old bay harness mare which he was
driving. He had confessed that he was too hard up to wager much on it,
but he would risk a few dollars on his judgment on a running horse any
day. He also said that Stallings had come back at him, more in earnest
than in jest, that if he really thought his harness mare could outrun
the brown, he could win every dollar the outfit had. They had codded
one another until Joe had shown some spirit, when the old man
suggested they play a little game of cards for fun, but Stallings had
insisted on stakes to make it interesting, and on the old homesteader
pleading poverty, they had agreed to make it for a dollar on the
corner. After supper our _segundo_ wanted to renew the game; the old
man protested that he was too unlucky and could not afford to lose,
but was finally persuaded to play one more game, "just to pass away
the evening." Well, the evening passed, and within the short space of
two hours, there also passed to the supposed lean purse of our guest
some twenty dollars from the feverish pockets of the outfit. Then the
old man felt too sleepy to play any longer, but loitered around some
time, and casually inquired of his boy if he had picketed their mare
where she would get a good bait of grass. This naturally brought up
the proposed race for discussion.

"If you really think that that old bay palfrey of yours can outrun any
horse in our _remuda_," said Stallings, tauntingly, "you're missing
the chance of your life not to pick up a few honest dollars as you
journey along. You stay with us to-morrow, and when we meet our
foreman at the Republican, if he'll loan me the horse, I'll give you a
race for any sum you name, just to show you that I've got a few drops
of sporting blood in me. And if your mare can outrun a cow, you stand
an easy chance to win some money."

Our visitor met Joe's bantering in a timid manner. Before turning in,
however, he informed us that he appreciated our hospitality, but that
he expected to make an early drive in the morning to the Republican,
where he might camp several days. With this the old man and the boy
unrolled their blankets, and both were soon sound asleep. The