74 THE STBIKE AT SHANE'S. 



on your farm shows the absence of what would be your 

 best friends. Whether you drove them away or 

 whether some superior intelligence directed their flight 

 I cannot tell, but they are gone, and your farm is suf- 

 fering from their absence." 



"That is true, papa. The birds were your friends, 

 and you drove them away," said Edith. 



"There may be something in that," said Shane, half 

 con-sinced ; "an' I'll think about it." 



"God gave us the beasts and birds for our use and 

 benefit. He gave man dominion over them, and he 

 has not withdrawn or changed his law ; but he can 

 remove them from our presence, as he has removed 

 the birds from this farm. He can disable the dumb 

 animals so that they cannot work for us, as is the 

 case with your horses, although I think the condi- 

 tion of your horses is the result of overwork. You 

 will have to admit that you have overworked your 

 horses this spring. It is a remarkable fact that they 

 all became afflicted at the same time, and one that I 

 can't understand. You must realize, friend Shane, 

 that horses have a physical construction similar to our 

 own, and that their strength can be overtaxed the 

 same as a man's, and if overwork will break down 

 your wife's health, as you now see that it has, why 

 will it not do the same to a horse ? " 



' ' I begin to see that I may have been mistaken in 

 regard to these matters," said Shane, and Edith gave 

 his hand an encouraging clasp. 



"Why, kindness goes a long way with dumb brutes 



