THE STBIKE AT SH AXE'S. 89 



Cora Tracy were married the next winter, and it was 

 her influence which had worked a cliange in Tom's 

 thoughts and actions towards the lower animals. 



The summer wore away and the winter was coming 

 on. Shane's corn crop was in the crib, and had yielded 

 far beyond his expectations, and his horses were sleek 

 and fat and happy. He had brought the carpenters 

 up from the village to repair the stables so that no cold 

 blasts of winter winds would blow on his horses. He 

 had bought blankets for his horses — something he had 

 never done before. 



The cold weather came on apace, and about the mid- 

 dle of November there came a snowstorm. The piti- 

 less blasts of wind drove the snow in blinding sheets 

 across the fields, and made the warm fireside in the 

 Shane household seem doubly dear to all who love a 

 home. 



Edith was standing at the window watching the 

 gusts of wind drive the snow about. 



" Oh ! say, papa, there is some animal down at the 

 gate," said Edith. "Are any of ours out?" 



"I think not," he said, coming to the window. 

 * ' Ah I it is that old mule that has been living in the 

 highway all summer." 



" Whom does it belong to, papa?" 



"I don't know ; it is a stray. It looks hke a shame 

 to let the old fellow stand out there and starve," said 

 Shane. 



"Let's take him in until the storm is over, anyhow," 

 said Edith. 



