Kitty Trenire | Page 2

and side of the house, and some years there
would be a few bunches of little green grapes hanging amongst the
leaves. Through the open stable window, festooned by the vine, dear
old Prue, Dr. Trenire's well-beloved and faithful mare, would thrust out
her head and gaze dreamily at the life in the yard, or at nothing; and the
children, if they were about, would rub her nose and fondle her

lovingly, and bring her handfuls of grass, or carrots, or sugar.
Sometimes, too, "Pinkie," the yellow cat, would seat herself on the
narrow sill of the stable window, close to Prue's cheek, until, finding
the air too chilly, or the children too noisy, or sleep overcoming her,
she would go inside and curl herself up on Prue's back for a nap.
To-day, though, neither Prue nor Pinkie were to be seen. Apparently
they were both indulging in an afternoon nap in the shady stable, for it
really was a very hot day, and the sun fell full on the vine and the stable
window.
Unfortunately it fell on the door too, and showed up a most inviting and
enticing-looking spot where the sun had once raised a blister on the
paint.
Every one will admit that there is a wonderful fascination about a nice
soft paint-blister, and busy fingers had quickly peeled this one off, with
the result that to-day there was a spot which made as good a target as
any one could possibly desire, and just within range of their perch on
the wall. There was also, unfortunately, quite close at hand a supply of
perfect ammunition in the shape of a heap of small stones and rubbish
which they had swept together a few days before when seized by a
sudden mania for tidying up the garden. Of course, had they been really
good children, they would have finished their job by shovelling up the
heap and carrying it away; but they grew very tired, and the work was
hard, and they felt they really had done a great deal for one day. So the
heap was left in the path until, on this hot afternoon, they found a new
and not at all tiring way of disposing of most of it.
They kept up such a sharp fire, and made such a noise, that presently
Jabez, the coachman and general factotum, was dancing with rage in
the yard below--rage at the noise they were making and the litter he
foresaw he would have to sweep up before "the master" saw the place,
and added rage at the calm unconcern with which they ignored his
commands.
The children, though really very much attached to Jabez, unfortunately
felt no fear of him, and above all things they loved to tease him. They

would not willingly have hurt him on any account whatever, but, as
they said afterwards, when he deliberately placed himself between
them and their target, and dared them to throw another stone, why of
course he had to put up with what he got; and what he got most
particularly was a nasty blow on the forehead from a piece of old wood
that Dan threw at him.
Dan, as he explained at the time, really selected the wood out of pure
humanity, because he thought it would be softer than a stone if it
should happen to strike any one; and, as he argued emphatically, "it
was ridiculous to think he could have known that Jabez was going to
duck his silly head at the very wrong moment, and it was even more
ridiculous of Jabez to accuse him of knowing that there was a large
rusty nail in the wood, for Jabez knew as well as possible that he, Dan,
would have been only too jolly glad to have had the nail, for he was
collecting old iron as hard as he could, intending to sell it the very next
time the 'old-iron' man came round."
Instead of which it was taken by Jabez, along with his bleeding head,
straight into the presence of Dr. Trenire, who happened at the moment
to be sitting in his study, trying to get a little sorely-needed rest. The
doctor had been out all the previous night at a most trying case, and
body and brain were weary, his nerves all on edge, his patience nearly
exhausted, and he had no time or inclination for unpleasant
interruptions and unnecessary worries. Altogether there could not have
been a much more unpropitious moment for any one to have gone to
him than that which Jabez chose.
As a rule Dr. Trenire was only too gentle and kind and patient with his
four motherless children; but to-day, when they slowly, and at a
discreet distance, followed Jabez into the study, Kitty felt