After looking around the store and meditating a little he said: "Durn
it all, then, go ahead. I've picked out the thing I want you to get and
by jigger I'll keep my mind on it all right."
Taking his hand, placing it upon my forehead, and holding it there with
one of mine, I started down the store, the other six rubbering after us
with all their might. After going about thirty feet with an occasional
kick or bump at a basket or barrel that happened to be in the way, I
turned to the left; stopping at the show-case, and sliding back the
doors, I reached in, picked up a razor--his own razor--that lay in the
case and handed it to him.
"Great Scott," he yelled. "The very razor I shave myself with--when I
shave; and that's the very thing I had my mind on too, by thunder." The
sweat stood out in great drops on his forehead and for a few minutes
his emotion seemed to be too much for him. So I said:
"Well, boys, this concludes the evening's performance; meeting's out,
boys."
Dazed with wonder, the six riders looked blankly at each other, turned
to me grinning foolishly, then filed out, jumped on their horses and
galloped away, whooping like Comanche Indians.
Bidding the proprietor good night I started for the door.
"Hold on a minute!" he cried. "I want to see you, young feller." He
strode up to within about two feet of me, hands thrust deep in his
pockets, looking as if he would like to fight. Then he burst out with:
"Say, you're about the slickest thing I ever saw in my life, ain't you?
You're durned slick. You're smooth--a little too smooth; and you hear
me, you needn't send them goods I bought to-night. I won't take 'em."
"What!" I cried.
"You hear me; you needn't send 'em. I won't take the goods," he said in
a tone there was no mistaking.
I commenced to argue. But no. "You've done killed yourself with me,"
was all I could get out of him, and nothing I could say or do would
make any difference. But I was bound not to lose the forty dollars
without a struggle and brought all the arts, arguments and persuasions
to bear that I could think of; but without avail. He seemed to be
convinced that if I wasn't the devil himself, at least I was a near
relation, and he would have none of me.
Then I did what I never had done before: took the dollar and carefully
showed him just how I had done the trick, explaining that sight was
really slower than motion sometimes and that the whole thing was
intended to be harmless and amusing.
"If that's the way you did with the money, how about the four-ball
trick?" he asked gruffly.
Still bent upon making the proposition stick, I explained the ball
trick too, by going over it and explaining how the eye could be
deceived. You see, I was growing more and more anxious all the time to
cinch my commission, and felt that my efforts were worth while. When
suddenly, dubious and still unconvinced, he turned to me and asked:
"Well, how in time did you find the razor?"
"I was very particular to tell you," I said, "before I went after that
razor that it wasn't a trick. It's a gift I can't explain; nobody can;
nobody ever did. I can't do it; I don't know how or why. Some call it
mind-reading and some people have been kept guessing to give it a name.
I am one of the few who can do it, that's all. When I went after the
article you had in mind, I didn't know it was a razor; I didn't know
what it was; but when I came in contact with what you had in mind I
picked it up and handed it to you. This is my explanation--the only one
I can give. I call it 'mind-reading,' that's all."
After some more talk I left him mystified and distrustful, in spite of
all I had said and done, still refusing to reinstate the order. I left
my grips in the store as it was near the station, and went to the hotel
to spend a restless night, kicking myself for a fool meanwhile, since
my attempts to amuse had lost me the neat little sum of forty dollars.
I slept a couple of hours when I was awakened by the most horrible
noise it was ever my fortune to hear: Two car-loads of calves, just a
day away from their mothers, were being shipped and their bawling was
intolerable. Talk about your quiet country towns for rest and sleep! No
more for me that night, I thought. So I dressed, took a smoke, and
decided to tackle my man again in the morning and to try to change his
mind.
A little after daylight I saw him sweeping the sidewalk in front of the
door, handling the broom as a man does a flail on the barn floor. I
went over and said: "Good morning." As he looked up I saw that his
glance was as surly and suspicious as it had been the night before, but
thought I would make a good start by approaching him upon some of his
hobbies the landlord had told me about. In his capacity as horse trader
he prided himself on his ability to judge a good horse. So I opened up
by telling him about a horse I owned, and asked if he had anything to
trade for him. This seemed to bring the right twinkle into his eye, and
he began to brace up and take notice a little. So I talked on until I
saw the smoke of the approaching train away down the valley seven or
eight miles along the old Kantopey trail. Then I made a last attempt.
"Now see here, Mister," I said, "I came into your store last night and
showed you my samples, showed you the names of some of the best
merchants who have bought big bills of me and I sold you a bill of
goods in good faith. Then you proposed that I entertain you as you had
very little amusement in a place like this. I told you I couldn't sing
but would do what I could with such sleight of hand tricks as I knew,
and I did exactly what I said I would. It seemed to meet with plenty of
approval all around until the mind-reading came up, when you turned me
down for no reason whatever. Now, I ask you a question: Is that a
square deal to a man on a business proposition?"
He looked at the floor and was silent, though apparently a little
uneasy. He shook his head doubtfully, which made me feel that he was
perhaps not so unfriendly after all, and might possibly do the right
thing yet. Hearing the distant whistle, I said:
"Train's coming; have to go. Wish you good luck, just the same as if
you'd treated me square. Wish you good crops and plenty of water for
your stock. As long as you live don't turn another fellow down like you
have me, just because he's done his best to give you a good time." And
I made a rush for the depot to check my baggage.
The train came in; there was the usual hurry and noise. The old fellow
stood there, leaning against the weather-boarding of the depot like a
picture of Uncle Sam--a queer, awkward figure with his hay-colored
whiskers, pipe in the corner of his mouth, and hands still planted
firmly in his pockets, his eyes riveted on every move I made.
I boarded the train, said "Howdy" to a friend, and looking back saw old
Dan standing where I had left him as if glued to the spot. The engine
puffed and snorted; the wheels began to go around. "Good-bye," I
shouted from the platform as if answering his steady gaze.
All of a sudden the long, gaunt figure limbered up, like a corpse that
had been touched by a galvanic battery. He came chasing down the track
after the train, waving his arms like a windmill and yelling like
Bedlam let loose: "Hey! Say there, you young feller; hey there! I'll
take them goods; send 'em along. I'll take them goods. D'ye hear?"
And I called back to him with great gusto: "All right," as the train
rounded a curve.
_Moral_: When you have sold your goods make your get-away.