"One hour would make a difference to old Diamond. But that's
not the main point. You must think what an advantage it would
be to the poor girl that hasn't a home to go to!"

"She is one of Diamond's friends," thought his father.

"I could be kind to her, you know," the mother went on, "and teach
her housework, and how to handle a baby; and, besides, she would
help me, and I should be the stronger for it, and able to do an odd
bit of charing now and then, when I got the chance."

"I won't hear of that," said her husband. "Have the girl by all means.
I'm ashamed I did not think of both sides of the thing at once.
I wonder if the horse is a great eater. To be sure, if I gave Diamond
two hours' additional rest, it would be all the better for the old bones
of him, and there would be four hours extra out of the other horse.
That would give Diamond something to do every day. He could drive
old Diamond after dinner, and I could take the other horse out for
six hours after tea, or in the morning, as I found best. It might
pay for the keep of both of them,--that is, if I had good luck.
I should like to oblige Mr. Raymond, though he be rather hard,
for he has been very kind to our Diamond, wife. Hasn't he now?"

"He has indeed, Joseph," said his wife, and there the conversation ended.

Diamond's father went the very next day to Mr. Raymond, and accepted
his proposal; so that the week after having got another stall in
the same stable, he had two horses instead of one. Oddly enough,
the name of the new horse was Ruby, for he was a very red chestnut.
Diamond's name came from a white lozenge on his forehead.