Fred, noting the unusual excitement about the
fire, came up, followed at a little distance by his wife and The Duke.
"Perhaps he'll sell," he suggested.
"No," said Bill sullenly, "he's a mean cuss."
"I know him," said the Hon. Fred, "let me try him." But the stranger
declared the pinto suited him down to the ground and he wouldn't take
twice his money for him.
"Why," he protested, "that there's what I call an unusual hoss, and down
in Montana for a lady he'd fetch up to a hundred and fifty dollars." In
vain they haggled and bargained; the man was immovable. Eighty dollars
he wouldn't look at, a hundred hardly made him hesitate. At this point
Lady Charlotte came down into the light and stood by her husband,
who explained the circumstances to her. She had already heard Bill's
description of Gwen's accident and of her part in the church-building
schemes. There was silence for a few moments as she stood looking at the
beautiful pony.
"What a shame the poor child should have to part with the dear little
creature!" she said in a low tone to her husband. Then, turning to the
stranger, she said in clear, sweet tones:
"What do you ask for him?" He hesitated and then said, lifting his hat
awkwardly in salute: "I was just remarking how that pinto would fetch
one hundred and fifty dollars down into Montana.
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