the topic again, reverting to the case of old Tom.
"That white hoss'll about push that matter to a
finish," he declared. "See if what I say don't pan
out! Tom he'll just about obey that law o'
nature which animals has knowed from long before
the ark, but which us humans is just gettin' a hold
on. He'll remove the cause -- old Tom will -- or
get himself removed. He ain't nobody's fool --
nor never was!" And he rested his eyes significantly
upon the Professor.

The Professor was busy, however. He had
pulled a deck of cards from his hip pocket, and
now was riffling them with pointed interest.
Directly he began to deal them around, carefully
overlooking the lean man as he did so. But the
latter, dropping over upon one elbow, permitted
the game to proceed without offering objection
to the oversight, a peculiar one, since he was in
the full glare of the fire.

That argument was closed.

But next morning Pat received unexpected attention.
His young master approached him,
looped a rope around his neck, and gave the end
to the large man, who mounted the white. Then
the lean man bridled and saddled the sorrel for
the young man, who evidently was unable conveniently
to do these things with his one hand.
After this he loaded Pat with the extra saddles
and bridles, and thus they set out. It was a not
unfavorable change, and Pat, while harboring
mixed emotions, since he now was trailing along
behind the white, yet found himself ia a lighter

[[216]]

p215 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p216w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p217

v?