30 Lady Lee 



4 I do not. My acquaintance with her is a 

 recent one, but we are good friends, are n't we, 

 beauty ? ' and she stroked the shapely neck beside 

 her. I noticed then, for the first time, some long 

 ridges on the flanks of the mare, showing plainly 

 she had recently been beaten, and not with a com- 

 mon whip, either. I called the young lady's atten- 

 tion to this, and a shadow passed over her face 

 like a ruffle over the surface of a clear lake. I knew 

 we both felt the same sentiment of indignation at 

 the brute in human form who had been guilty of 

 the cruelty. 



While we were talking, I saw a man at some 

 distance coming along the path toward us. Lady 

 Lee also noticed him ; she pricked her ears, and 

 snuffed ominously. It was evident she was ill at 

 ease ; and as the man came nearer she started as 

 though about to run away. I spoke kindly to her, 

 which she quickly acknowledged, but did not take 

 her eyes from the approaching figure. It was painful 

 to see her anxiety ; and the young lady by my side 

 seemed to be watching matters with the greatest 

 interest. 



