I mention these historic facts merely to show that Morgan played his part with the Quality of the times, as well as at the plow, and to occupy a stall in the Judge’s grand new barn was no small privilege to a horse!
But the greatest pleasure of all was when he heard that Colonel Lloyd of Maryland, and his daughter had come a’visiting the Judge and his lady.
The Wings and the Lloyds had met in New York the winter before and the Judge had unwoven some legal tangles for the Colonel. A friendship had resulted and now the Southerners had come all the way from Maryland in their coach to enjoy the cool, summer breezes of Vermont under the hospitable roof of their New England friends.
When the Judge brought them out to see his new barn Morgan recognized the swish of her petticoats at once, as Mistress Lloyd drew near the stable.
Knowing how they loved good horses their host threw open Morgan’s door.
There was an instant’s pause, then:
“Why, I know this horse!” cried Mistress Lloyd. “I gave him his first blue ribband!”
Oh, the melody of her voice, and the feel of her cheek against his! At last, after years of parting, they met—and she had not forgotten him. Oh, wondrous memory of such a woman as she!
Morgan was glad the Judge’s hired man had groomed him so carefully that morning, and that not long before, the stable floor had been strewn with fresh, sweet sawdust.
“What a noble animal you’ve grown to be!” she whispered in his waiting ear. “I predicted it full ten years agone!”