CHAPTER XXIX WALTER BUYS A HORSE

 “You can look at the pistol as I hold it,” said Walter, in response to the request recorded at the close of the preceding chapter.

“I say,” remarked the stranger suddenly, “don't you want to buy a horse?”

“How much do you ask for the horse?” he inquired.

“I want to get her off my hands. Give me fifty dollars, and she's yours.”

Walter had a pad in his satchel¹ and a fountain pen in his pocket. He hastily wrote out the following form:

“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 gal²!”

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 drawn³ to a printed notice in front of a store. It read thus:

“HORSE STOLEN!

 

“Stolen from the subscriber⁴, on the evening of the twenty-fifth, a roan mare⁵, 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.

1 satchel   

n.(皮或帆布的)书包

参考例句：

• The school boy opened the door and flung his satchel in.那个男学生打开门，把他的书包甩了进去。
• She opened her satchel and took out her father's gloves.打开书箱，取出了她父亲的手套来。

2 gal   

n.姑娘，少女

参考例句：

• We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
• What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么？

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 subscriber   

n.用户，订户；（慈善机关等的）定期捐款者；预约者；签署者

参考例句：

• The subscriber to a government loan has got higher interest than savings. 公债认购者获得高于储蓄的利息。 来自辞典例句
• Who is the subscriber of that motto? 谁是那条座右铭的签字者？ 来自辞典例句

5 mare   

n.母马，母驴

参考例句：

• The mare has just thrown a foal in the stable.那匹母马刚刚在马厩里产下了一只小马驹。
• The mare foundered under the heavy load and collapsed in the road.那母马因负载过重而倒在路上。