onished
Zeke.

Jewel was laughing in high glee. She was used to being caught up in a
strong arm and run with.

Mr. Evringham shook the drops from his head. "Get Jewel's rubber please,
Zeke," he said, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder.

"I was Cinderella," cried the child gayly. "That's my glass slipper out
there in the mud."

Zeke would have liked to joke with her, but that was an impossibility in
the august presence. He cast a curious glance at the little girl as
he left the barn. He had received his mother's version of yesterday's
experience. "Well, it looks to me as if there was something
those Christian Science folks know that the rest of us don't," he
soliloquized. "I saw her with my own eyes, and felt her with my own
hands. Mother says children get up from anything twice as quick as grown
folks, but I don't know."

"Don't you love a stable, grandpa?" exclaimed Jewel. "Oh, I'm too happy
to scuff," and she kicked off the other rubber. Even while she spoke
Essex Maid looked around and whinnied at sight of her master.

"She knows you, she knows you," cried the little girl joyously, hopping
up and down.

"Of course," said Mr. Evringham, holding out his hand to the delighted
child and leading her into the stall. The mare rubbed her nose against
him. "We couldn't get out this morning, eh, girl?" said the broker,
caressing her neck, while Jewel smoothed the bright coat as high as she
could reach. Her grandfather lifted her in his arms. "Here, my maid,
here's a new friend for you. In my pocket, Jewel."

The child took out the lumps of sugar one by one, and Essex Maid ate
them from the little hand, touching it gently with her velvet lips. Zeke
came in and whistled softly as he glanced at the group in the stall.

"Whew," he mused. "He's letting her feed the Maid. I guess she can put
her shoes in _his_ trunk all right."

Mr. Evringham set Jewel on the mare's back and she smoothed the bright
mane and patted the beautiful creature.

"I'd like to gallop off now over the whole country," she said, her face
glowing.

"I shouldn't be surprised either if you could do it bareback," returned
Mr. Evringham; "but you must never come into either of the stalls
without me. You understand, do you?"

"Yes, grandpa. I'm glad you told me though, because I guess I should
have." The child gave a quick, unconscious sigh.

"Well we'd better go in now."

"How kind you are to me," said the child gratefully, as she slid off