"Why--no. She's wu'th three hundred if she's wu'th a cent."
"You won't get three hundred for her," said the girl.
"She's as sound as a nut," declared the freight agent, with
indignation. Miss Farnsworth laughed.
"She's a pretty creature," said she, "but I have eyes. How did she
hurt her left hind ankle?"
The freight agent stared. "Her left hind ankle! Why--there ain't a
sign of a limp in it. And her knee action's perfect."
"She was lame two weeks ago," said the girl, and looked at him. Jarvis
had brought his colts to a temporary stand-still, and was observing
the little scene with amusement.
"Why--she got a stone in that left hind foot," admitted the freight
agent, walking the mare toward the corner of the building. "Any
horse'll do that. She ain't lame now--wa'n't then to amount to
anything. But I'd like to know how you guessed it."
She was still laughing. "I suppose you would let her go for two
hundred and twenty-five, now, wouldn't you?"
The freight agent led his mare away without deigning to reply, except
by a shake of the head. He came back and loaded the freight into the
wagon, leaving the trunks till the last. As he was shouldering the
first of these, Agnes stopped him.
"Will you take two hundred and fifty for Betty?" she asked, with
perfect coolness, except for a certain gleam in her eyes.
"You ain't buyin' horses yourself?"
"I asked you a question."
"She ain't no lady's horse."
"I asked you if you would sell her for two hundred and fifty dollars,"
repeated the girl, and prepared to step up into the wagon. Jarvis was
not getting down to assist her. The black pair were too restless for
that.
"Why--I'd ought to have three hundred for her," the man hesitated.
Miss Farnsworth set her foot upon the step and drew herself up beside
Jarvis. She did not look toward the freight agent. Just as the horses
began to swing about, the man upon the platform said, haltingly:
"Well--if you mean it, and can pay me cash----"
She looked at him once more, quite indifferently. "I s'pose you can
have her. But she's wu'th more."
"Mr. Jarvis," said the horse buyer, "can we lead her home?"