A big-city lawyer was representing the railroad in a
lawsuit filed by an old rancher. The rancher's prize
bull was missing from the section through which
the railroad passed. The rancher only wanted to be
paid the fair value of the bull.
The case was scheduled to be tried before the justice
of the peace in the back room of the general store.
The attorney for the railroad immediately cornered the
rancher and tried to get him to settle out of court. The
lawyer did his best selling job, and finally the rancher
agreed to take half of what he was asking.
After the rancher had signed the release and took the
check, the young lawyer couldn't resist gloating a little
over his success, telling the rancher,
"You know, I hate to tell you this, old man, but I put one
over on you in there. I couldn't have won the case. The
engineer was asleep and the fireman was in the caboose
when the train went through your ranch that morning. I
didn't have one witness to put on the stand. I bluffed you!"
The old rancher replied, "Well, I'll tell you, young feller, I
was a little worried about winning that case myself,
because that durned bull came home this morning."