"In consideration of fifty dollars by me received, I give and transfer to Walter Sherwood my roan horse." Here followed a brief description of the animal.
"Now put your name there, and I will hand you the money," said Walter.
"Thank you, stranger! You"ve got a good bargain."
"I agree to that," said Walter.
"I suppose the horse is sound?" he said inquiringly.
"Sound as a die! Don"t you take no trouble about that. It goes to my heart to give her up. Good-by, old gal!"
Walter touched the horse lightly with his whip, and she bounded forward. After a few miles he reached a town of good size. Riding along the main street his attention was drawn to a printed notice in front of a store. It read thus:
"HORSE STOLEN!
"Stolen from the subscriber, on the evening of the twenty-fifth, a roan mare, eight years old and sixteen hands high, with a white mark between the eyes. Answers to the name of Bess. Whoever will return her to the subscriber, or give information that will lead to her recovery, will receive a suitable reward.
"COLONEL RICHARD OWEN, Shelby."
A terrible suspicion entered Walter"s mind. He recognized the white mark. Then he called "Bess." The mare half turned her head and whinnied.
CHAPTER x.x.x
WALTER FINDS HIMSELF IN A TIGHT PLACE
Walter had hardly time to consider what to do in the light of the discovery he had made before the matter was taken out of his hands.
"Young feller, you"d better get off that hoss!" fell on his ears in a rough voice.
He turned, and saw two stalwart men eyeing him suspiciously.
"Gentlemen," said Walter earnestly, "till I read this notice I had no idea that the horse was stolen."
"That"s neither here nor there. You"d better get off the hoss."
Walter felt that this was a command, and obeyed at once.
"Very well, gentlemen," he said. "I will leave the horse in your hands, and depend upon you to return it to the owner."
As Walter spoke he turned to walk off, but the man who had first accosted him got in his way.
"I don"t want to have any trouble with you, sir. Please get out of my way, and let me go."
"Not by a long shot."
"What do you propose to do with me?"
"Take you to the lockup."
Walter was now really alarmed.
"You"ll have to go with us, young feller!" said Crane.
"And leave the hoss?" asked Penton. "We"d ought to take charge of it, and get the reward."
"That"s so, Penton. You go and get a constable. We"ll stand by the hoss."
Penton hurried off, and returned shortly with a constable in uniform.
"What"s up?" he asked.
"This young feller"s rid into town with Colonel Richard Owen"s hoss."
"But I"d ought to secure the hoss," said the constable, who felt that perhaps he might be ent.i.tled to the reward offered.
"Look here, Cyrus Stokes, you secure the thief--that"s your lookout."
"Gentlemen," said Walter, "I object to being called a thief. I have already told you I did not steal the horse."
The constable seized Walter by the arm and walked off with him. To add to his mortification, people whom they met on the street looked at him curiously.
CHAPTER x.x.xI
IN THE LOCKUP
The lockup was a bas.e.m.e.nt room under the engine-house. There were four cells, about four by eight, and into one of these Walter was put. The cell opposite was occupied by a drunken tramp, who looked up stupidly as Walter entered, and hiccoughed: "Glad to see you sonny."
"And I must stay in here overnight--with that man?"
"Hoss-stealers mustn"t be particular," said the constable.
"Can you tell me where Colonel Owen lives--the man that owns the horse?"
"You ought to know that!"
"Is there any lawyer in this village?"
"Yes, there"s two, an old man and a young one."
"I should like to see one of them. Can you ask one of them to come here?"