A Horse’s Tale
A story of the Old West
Evan Austin, May 17, 2018, Writing Prompt: You’re a horse in a gang of outlaws. What the outlaws don’t know is that you’re actually an undercover agent.
There are many, many colorful stories of the Old West. None are as fascinating as the tales of Edward Cremello, the Sleuth Horse of Wyoming. Edward, or “Ed,” as he was known to his fellow Pinkerton detectives, made himself a legend by working underground among gangs of outlaws. Edward was a mutant horse; he could talk, read, and write and had an IQ of 140. He was also a glutton for excitement and danger. Nobody ever knew what kind of brouhaha he would get himself into next, as the text of the following missive shows.
Wyoming
May 20, 1879
Report of Edward Cremello, Undercover Equine Detective
I regret that one of the dirty, rotten outlaws I run with has discovered me. The fortunate thing about this is that the stinking polecat who found me out is not going to report me to the rest of the dirty, stinking polecats in this wretched gang of sinners, at least not right now. Instead, he is blackmailing me. He wants $10,000 in unmarked bills to be left in a location of his choice.
You are going to ask how he discovered me. I would rather leave this undisclosed, but I will tell you…
