"Why don't you get up a little speed, while
you are drawing a fare, at least! The abuse master gets for your sake is
quite shameful! No wonder he doesn't get many fares when he has you!"
"Well, if I worked as hard as I could, I'd be a bag of bones like you!"
"I'm proud to work!" said old Diamond. "I wouldn't be as fat as you, not
for all you're worth. You are a disgrace! Look at the horse next you.
_He_ is something _like_ a horse--all skin and bones. He knows he has
got his master's wife and children to support and he works _like_ a
horse!"
"I might get lamed again, if I didn't go slowly and carefully," said
Ruby.
"Lame again!" snorted old Diamond. "It's my belief you lamed yourself on
purpose so you could stay in the stable and stuff yourself and grow fat!
You selfish beast!"
"I might get angry at you," said Ruby, "if I didn't know a little better
than you do how things are coming out. What do you think my master would
say if he were to come back--and he may come any day now--and find me
all worn down to a rack of bones and lamed into the bargain? Do you
think anything would make him believe that your master had used me right
and as he promised he would? And isn't it better he should live a little
hard himself and prove himself to be an honest man who does what he says
he'll do? You don't know everything, old Diamond.
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