The claimant, whose eyes by this time were bulging, exclaimed:-- "You've got a pooty long mem'ry, an' it's as good as it is long." "As to that, I never saw the letter until yesterday. The man who brought the horse showed me the letter; otherwise I shouldn't have purchased." The claimant and his companions exchanged looks of astonishment, and the deputy drawled:-- "How'd he git it, Jim?" "It beats me," was the reply. "Onless he went through the house like he did the barn. That letter was in the Bible, where I keep some papers o' one kind an' another, cal'latin' that's as safe a place as any, not gettin' much rummagin'. He must 'a' knowed I had it. Oh, he's a slick un, Bill is, when he gits dead broke an' wants to go on a spree. You see, Mr. Somerton, the way of it was this: the wife was off visitin', an' I was ploughin' corn, an' took some snack with me, an' some stuff for the hosses, so's to have a longer rest at noon-time, not havin' to go back all the way to the house. The colt was in the barn, so I didn't miss him till I got home, long about dusk. Bill must 'a' knowed, some way, my wife wa'n't home, an' I could see by the lot o' hay in the colt's rack that he'd been took out 'fore the middle o' the day. I was so knocked by missin' him that I've been on the track ever sence, an' didn't think to look to see ef anythin' was gone from the house, but the cuss must 'a' prowled 'roun' consid'able ef he got that letter. Didn't bring in my rifle an' shotgun to sell, did he, nor flat-irons, nor cook-stove?" "No, although he did sell me a saddle and bridle. I hope you'll succeed in catching the scamp." "Oh, I ain't got no use for him. The furder away he gits, the better satisfied I'll be. We ain't never had no other thief 'mong our relations. I reckon it's you that ought to want him. What I want is my colt, an' I'm goin' to have him--peaceful, ef I kin, or by law, ef I must. He's thar--in your barn; I seen him through the door; so did my frien's here, so there's no good beatin' about the bush an'--" "Stop!" said Philip. "There's no sense in insinuating that I would knowingly retain stolen property--unless you wish to have your tongue knocked down your throat."