Part 17 (1/2)
”I can sw'ar this is the hoss the young man druv the day he come over to find h?” said Jack
”No!” said Peakslow, and threw the rattling harness upon Snowfoot's back ”It don't prove the hoss belonged to you, if ye did drive hi to you, it don't prove but what ye sold him arterward, and then pretended he was stole, to cheat some honest man out of his prop'ty Hurry up, boy! buckle them hames” And he went to throw on the other harness
Jack stepped in Zeph's way ”This isthose hames”
”Yeupon hiit me mad?”
Jack had before been hardly able to speak, for his rising wrath and beating heart; but he was now getting control of hiin this case; and if we both want the right, we shall agree”
”Every ht,” said Peakslow, slightly ive ye up the hoss I've got possession of the hoss, and I ht, to my notion”
”I want only what is lawfully my own,” Jack answered, firht, but wrong There's such a thing as justice, aside from our personal interest in a ht of that
”Wal, what ye goin' to do about it?” he asked
”I a to have my horse,” replied Jack ”If you let o to law, I shall have him all the same, and you will have the costs to pay”
Peaksloinced The threat of costs touched him in his tenderest spot
”How's that?” he anxiously asked
”I haven't been about the country looking forof the law for the recovery of stolen property,” replied Jack
”If I find hiainst you If you hold on to hiistrate, and by giving bonds to an aes to you or anybody else if I fail to et out a _writ of replevin_, and send a sheriff with it to take the horse Or I can let you keep hies In either case, the one who is beaten will have the costs to pay,” Jack insisted, turning the screw again where he saw it pinch
The swarthy broas covered with perspiration, as Peaksloered, ht ye with the law, or any other way, 's long's you want to fight I've got money Ye can't scare me with your sheriffs and writs
But jest look at it I'm to be throwed out of a hoss at a busy tiett--you nor nobody else”
”No,” said Mr Wiggett, who stood looking on in an iood, I allow And it don't seem like it would feel much better, to have to stan' by and see a hoss that was stole fro htfor'ard story, and there's no doubt of its bein' his hoss You've no doubt on't in your ownhis proofs,--he's got friends to back hiht understanding and save right smart o' trouble and cost
I 'low that'll be best for both”
”Wal, what's your idee of a right understandin'?” said Peakslow, flushed and troubled, turning to Jack ”_My_ hoss is in Chicago--that is, if _this_ hoss ain't ittin' on him back, but I don't want to spend the ti o'
stuff; and how can I do that, if you break upup his hts, I don't wish to put you or any man to an inconvenience” He took Snowfoot by the bridle ”Here is ett for a witness, I ht ith hio, and use hi your horse from the truck him back with you Is that a fair proposal?”
”Wal, I do'no' but what 't is; I'll think on 't”
”I want you to say now, in Mr Wiggett's presence, whether you accept it”