sides into
Diamond's, it would be the work of a moment. But I fear that wouldn't
answer."

A strong inclination to laugh intruded upon Joseph's inclination to cry,
and made speech still harder than before.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said at length. "I've been so miserable,
and for so long, that I never thought you was only a chaffing of me
when you said I hadn't used the horses well. I did grumble at you, sir,
many's the time in my trouble; but whenever I said anything, my little
Diamond would look at me with a smile, as much as to say: 'I know him
better than you, father;' and upon my word, I always thought the boy
must be right."

"Will you sell me old Diamond, then?"

"I will, sir, on one condition--that if ever you want to part with him
or me, you give me the option of buying him. I could not part with him,
sir. As to who calls him his, that's nothing; for, as Diamond says, it's
only loving a thing that can make it yours--and I do love old Diamond,
sir, dearly."

"Well, there's a cheque for twenty pounds, which I wrote to offer you
for him, in case I should find you had done the handsome thing by Ruby.
Will that be enough?"

"It's too much, sir. His body ain't worth it--shoes and all. It's only
his heart, sir--that's worth millions--but his heart'll be mine all the
same--so it's too much, sir."

"I don't think so. It won't be, at least, by the time we've got him
fed up again. You take it and welcome. Just go on with your cabbing for
another month, only take it out of Ruby and let Diamond rest; and by
that time I shall be ready for you to go down into the country."

"Thank you, sir, thank you. Diamond set you down for a friend, sir, the
moment he saw you. I do believe that child of mine knows more than other
people."

"I think so, too," said Mr. Raymond as he walked away.

He had meant to test Joseph when he made the bargain about Ruby, but had
no intention of so greatly prolonging the trial. He had been taken ill
in Switzerland, and had been quite unable to return sooner. He went away
now highly gratified at finding that he had stood the test, and was a
true man.

Joseph rushed in to his wife who had been standing at the window
anxiously waiting the result of the long colloquy. When she heard that
the horses were to go together in double harness, she burst forth into
an immoderate fit of laughter. Diamond came up with the baby in his arms
and made big anxious eyes at her, saying--

"What is the m