THE STRIKE AT SHANE'S, 7 



that lie was violating any rule of humanity Dy such 

 aqts, because his thoughts had not been directed in that 

 channel. 



Altogether the animals on Shane's farm had a pretty 

 hard time of it.' There were two redeeming characters 

 on the farm, however, and they were Mrs. Shane and 

 her daughter Edith. Invariably kind and gentle in 

 their ways, they were loved by everything on the farm, 

 and their righteous indignation would sometimes get 

 the better of their judgment, and they would speak 

 their minds about the cruelties practised by father and 

 son. They would usually meet with the reply that 

 "Women had better keep still about things that don't 

 consarn 'em." And John Shane said, "Nothin' made 

 him madder than for a woman to interfere when he was 

 dealin' with his animals." 



Tom, ha^^ng arrived at home, and put the horses in 

 the stable, came into the house, just as the family 

 were sitting down to the supper table. 



*' You are late to-night, Tom," said Shane. "Has 

 anything gone wrong ? " 



"Yes, everything's gone wrong," answered Tom, in 

 a surly mood ; "and if I can't have a better team to 

 work T\qth I won't do any more teamin'." 



"Come, sir," said his father, "none of that kind 

 of talk — I won't have it. What's the matter with 

 the team?" 



" Why, enough's the matter," said Tom. "We got 

 stuck in the mud down by Ford's, an' old Dobbin 

 choked down an' would'nt pull a pound ; " and Tom 



