After asking if my name were
Cody, and being told that it was, he said:
"Well, there is no need of having a fuss over one horse."
"No," said I, "a horse doesn't mean much to you, but it amounts to a
good deal to this poor immigrant."
"Well," said the herd boss, "how do you propose to settle it?"
"I am going to take you and your whole outfit to Fort McPherson. There
I am going to try you and give you the limit--six months and a
five-hundred-dollar fine."
"I can't afford to go back to the Fort," he pleaded, "let's settle it
right here. What will you take to call it off?"
"One hundred and fifty dollars," I said, "and quick!"
Reaching down into his pocket, he pulled out a wallet filled with bills
and counted out a hundred and fifty dollars. By this time the man who
had lost the horse had caught his animal in the herd. He was standing,
holding it, near by.
"Partner," I said to him, "take your horse and go back home."
"Now, boss," I said to the other man, "let me give you a little advice.
Be careful when a stranger gets into your herd and the owner overtakes
you and demands it. You may run into more trouble than I have given
you, for you ought to know by this time that horse-stealing is a
hanging offense."
He said: "I didn't care a blank about your being justice of the peace
and constable combined, but when I found out you were Buffalo Bill it
was time to lay down my hand.
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