n, a knock came to the door, and in
walked Mr. Raymond with a smile on his face. Joseph got up and received
him respectfully, but not very cordially. Martha set a chair for him,
but he would not sit down.

"You are not very glad to see me," he said to Joseph. "You don't want to
part with the old horse."

"Indeed, sir, you are mistaken there. What with anxiety about him, and
bad luck, I've wished I were rid of him a thousand times. It was only to
be for three months, and here it's eight or nine."

"I'm sorry to hear such a statement," said Mr. Raymond. "Hasn't he been
of service to you?"

"Not much, not with his lameness"

"Ah!" said Mr. Raymond, hastily--"you've been laming him--have you? That
accounts for it. I see, I see."

"It wasn't my fault, and he's all right now. I don't know how it
happened, but--"

"He did it on purpose," said Diamond. "He put his foot on a stone just
to twist his ankle."

"How do you know that, Diamond?" said his father, turning to him. "I
never said so, for I could not think how it came."

"I heard it--in the stable," answered Diamond.

"Let's have a look at him," said Mr. Raymond.

"If you'll step into the yard," said Joseph, "I'll bring him out."

They went, and Joseph, having first taken off his harness, walked Ruby
into the middle of the yard.

"Why," said Mr. Raymond, "you've not been using him well."

"I don't know what you mean by that, sir. I didn't expect to hear that
from you. He's sound in wind and limb--as sound as a barrel."

"And as big, you might add. Why, he's as fat as a pig! You don't call
that good usage!"

Joseph was too angry to make any answer.

"You've not worked him enough, I say. That's not making good use of him.
That's not doing as you'd be done by."

"I shouldn't be sorry if I was served the same, sir."

"He's too fat, I say."

"There was a whole month I couldn't work him at all, and he did nothing
but eat his head off. He's an awful eater. I've taken the best part of
six hours a day out of him since, but I'm always afraid of his coming to
grief again, and so I couldn't make the most even of that. I declare to
you, sir, when he's between the shafts, I sit on the box as miserable as
if I'd stolen him. He looks all the time as if he was a bottling up of
complaints to make of me the minute he set eyes on you again. There!
look at him now, squinting round at me with one eye! I declare to you,
on my word, I haven't laid the whip on him more tha