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 of his spread through which the railroad passed. The rancher only wanted to be paid the fair value of his bull.

On the way to the courthouse, the attorney 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 just half of what he was asking, in cash.

After the rancher had signed the release and took the money, the young lawyer couldn’t resist gloating a little over his success….

“You know, I hate to tell you this, old man, but I put one over on you in there. I couldn’t have won this case. The engineer was asleep and the fireman was in the caboose when the train went through your ranch that morning. And the worst part is I didn’t have one witness to put on the stand.”

The old rancher chuckled. “Well, I’ll tell you, young feller, I was a mite worried about winning that case myself, because durned if that ole bull didn’t come moseyin’ back home this morning.”