It might then well
happen there was no one near to help him, and there be nothing
for it but to put his own hands to the work: he was too just to
rouse one who might be nowise to blame, or send a maid to fetch
him from field or barn, where he might be more importantly
engaged.
One night, meaning to start for a long ride early in the morning,
he had gone to the stable to see how things were; and, soon
after, it happened that Letty, attending to some duty before
going to bed, caught sight of him cleaning his stirrups: from
that moment she took upon herself the silent and unsuspected
supervision of the harness-room, where, when she found any part
of the riding-equipments neglected, she would draw a pair of
housemaid's gloves on her pretty hands, and polish away like a
horse-boy.
Godfrey had begun to remark how long it was since he had found
anything unfit, and to wonder at the improvement somewhere in the
establishment, when, going hastily one morning, some months
before the date of my narrative, into the harness-room to get a
saddle, he came upon Letty, who had imagined him afield with the
men: she was energetic upon a stirrup with a chain-polisher. He
started back in amazement, but she only looked up and smiled.
"I shall have done in a moment, Cousin Godfrey," she said, and
polished away harder than before.
"But, Letty! I can't allow you to do things like that.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62