“And so at last,” said she, “I was bought by a man who keeps a number of cabs and horses, and lets them out.  You look well off, and I am glad of it, but I could not tell you what my life has been.  When they found out my weakness, they said I was not worth what they gave for me, and that I must go into one of the low cabs, and just be used up; that is what they are doing, whipping and working with never one thought of what I suffer—­they paid for me, and must get it out of me, they say.  The man who hires me now pays a deal of money to the owner every day, and so he has to get it out of me, too; and so it’s all the week round and round, with never a Sunday rest.”

I said, “You used to stand up for yourself if you were ill-used.”

“Ah!” she said, “I did once, but it’s no use; men are strongest, and if they are cruel and have no feeling, there is nothing that we can do but just bear it—­bear it on and on to the end.  I wish the end was come, I wish I was dead.  I have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do not suffer pain.”

I was very much troubled, and I put my nose up to hers, but I could say nothing to comfort her.  I think she was pleased to see me, for she said, “You are the only friend I ever had.”

Just then her driver came up, and with a tug at her mouth, backed her out of the line and drove off, leaving me very sad, indeed.

A short time after this, a cart with a dead horse in it passed our cab stand.  The head hung out of the cart tail, the lifeless tongue was slowly dropping with blood; and the sunken eyes! but I can’t speak of them, the sight was too dreadful!  It was a chestnut horse with a long, thin neck.  I saw a white streak down the forehead.  I believe it was Ginger; I hoped it was, for then her troubles would be over.  Oh! if men were more merciful, they would shoot us before we came to such misery.

CHAPTER XV

At a sale I found myself in company with a lot of horses—­some lame, some broken-winded, some old, and some that I am sure it would have been merciful to shoot.

[Illustration]

The buyers and sellers, too, many of them, looked not much better off than the poor beasts they were bargaining about.  There were poor old men, trying to get a horse or pony for a few pounds, that might drag about some little wood or coal cart.  There were poor men trying to sell a worn-out beast for two or three pounds, rather than have the greater loss of killing him.  Some of them looked as if poverty and hard times had hardened them all over; but there were others that I would have willingly used the last of my strength in serving; poor and shabby, but kind and humane, with voices that I could trust.  There was one tottering old man that took a great fancy to me, and I to him, but I was not strong enough—­it was an anxious time!  Coming from the better part of the fair, I noticed a man who looked like a gentleman farmer, with a young boy by his side; he had a broad back and round shoulders, a kind, ruddy face, and he wore a broad-brimmed hat.  When he came up to me and my companions, he stood still, and gave a pitiful look round upon us.  I saw his eye rest on me; I had still a good mane and tail, which did something for my appearance.  I pricked my ears and looked at him.