Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-06
ROB JACK,
THE P0ACHER.
Scottish Amerlcan.)

were addressed TO her father, VINO was
comfortably seated In his armchair AT
the fireslde. There was an anxiety III
the tone. which Mr. Christie detected,
but ne only looked inquirngly AT ms
daughter and said nothing.
IL was Friday night. and Mary was not
the only one TO whom the delay OF the
Z 80 train. which brought the weekly paper
TO the village, was proving a source OF
perplexity. The Usual crowd OF villagers
and country people from the nearby
farms that gathered around the door or
bookseller Willie MINIS shop weekly, wait
ing the arrival OF the newspaper, had
collected in groups, and were anxiousy
discussing in anticipation, a DIT OF news
OF great local significance, when Wouiu
appear in that number of the Journal
Rob Jack. the village ne'er-do-weel, had
baen "taeu up again; this time on
charge which was considered serious
Rob was a strapping fellow, the hand
soonest youth in the village, but, on the
other hand, his character was the most
unsayory. Among the village people
there was a saying, whenever there were
slim or doubtful chances of debt being
recovered, "Oh. it will be settled when
Rob Jack paws his meal; In other words
that the debt might as well be written
off as recoverable. He had been sort OF
village Ismael ever since he had been able
10 take care Of himself. Rob also possess
ed a great proclivity for poaching, for
which crime he had often been convicted
and incarcerated in the county JAIL IL
was for an alleged breach OF the game
laws that he had just been tried, anu tne
village folks, including Mary Chrlstle'
were now anxiously waiting To hear the
result.
So far as Dame Gossip had been able
m supplv the information, the circum-
stanoes of the case were about as follows;
Sandy Wylie, gamekeeper for Squire
Gardenstone. had observed a gradual
dlminutlon OF his Lordship's pheasant
proods IN the woods OF Lathenden, lact
for which he could not account. as the
Squire had not yet returned to his couh-
try-seat. and there were no otheI spoI 70
men on the place. SANDY IN ms niu-
NIGHT ueregrinations while exercising
narefrI We'll over his masters preserves,
had never heard the report OF gun, nor
had he discovered any traps: and no
roarauders had ever crossed his pain
However. he was a willy man by nature
os vreu as by name. He decided TO lie III
ambush in close proximity to where the
majority Of the birds usually percheu'
The night selected for the work was
tvnical one for any poacher 10 ply ms
calling. The moon, when was III
her first quarter at long inter ,
walls broke through the plach
clouds. sending strip of light throush
the trees. affording an occasion oppoltu-
nitv TO detect the Whereabouts OIL tne
birds. Wylie waited patiently In preath-
less silence. lie heard the tou Oh Tue
,,iIIage hell sounding the midnight hour,
but as yet no poacher had appeared ~
yyas . o'clock before his vigilance was
M
dead branches lying on the ground an
rornced the approach OF footsteps, and as
the moon shot momentarily from be-
hind a cloud he could see the INTRUDER,
whom he was certain he recognized
coming toward him. Being desirous'
however, OF ascertaining Just now the
poacher accomplished his work, the Keep
| er remained I'm his place OF concealment'
AT length the fumes OF burning sulphur
| reached him, and almost simultaneously
| ha heard the fiutter OF wings, followed py
| dulI thuds as the birds fell to the ground.
| The poacher's modus operandi was now
elear-he Supplied the pheasants with
| burned sulphur, thus rendering their cap
| ture easy. -
Wylie. from past experience, knew the
| desperate character OF all poachers, but
he was a brave man, and his duty TO MS
emplover urged him forward. Ever on
! th4 alert when at such work. however,
/ tbe marauder's ear had caught the SOUND
OF the keepers footsteps, but he stood
| his ground. A fierce struggle ensued, ~
| the end OF which Wylie's body was lei,
| for dead in the wood, and ne was sun
| unconscious when found by the coachmah
| the following day. When he ala come
| 10" IN was discovered that the blows
on the head which he had sustained had
SO impaired his mental faculties that ne
! could only remember the foregoing facls'
and was unable 10 give the name OF ms
assaiant. but suspicion at once fastened
upon Rob Jack, and he was arrested;
! THE uecullar nature of the case excited
| 4 good deal of curiosity and the OUT
| come was eagerly waited for.
| Mary's anxious ear at last caught tn'
sound of the whistle Of the engine as the
train approached the station. she wen'
| 10 the door. where she remained standing
until Jamie Anderson, the bookseller )
boy, handed her the paper, with apologies
for its late arrival She returned TO the
| room and seated herself at the side OF the
fire opposite TO her father. The old mar
eyed her wktfully through his spectacles
as she trembllngly turned the pages Of the
| newspaper BY and by she found VIVA
| she was looking for among the court news
| of the county town. For few moments
she neryously conned over the page, thei
| allowing the newspaper TO fall on her zap
she heaved a deep sigh Of evident reiet
and unconsciously murmured aloud, An
other sixty days. 81.
what Is IL that's troubling you, MaryT
inquired her father; you seem tae oe
sairly bothered ABBOTT something III th'
paper"
'Ohl it's naething father; l was only
reading the trial of Rob Jack. / see that
the puir chiel has been sentenced ta'
sixty DAYS wi hard labor again. His law
yer proved an alibi. as they ca't-that Is,
that Rob was somewhere else than IN
the woods % Latherden when Gamle
Wylie was hurt; but il was found That Roi
had been selling pheasants tae the cadgei
mamie. who comes frae Partontown, twa
or three days afore, and as Rob couldns
gle a proper accOont o whaur he got th'
birds. the Shirra sentenced him on nj
previous record. All. weel, puir fellow
the time will sumo slip by; but / Gamma
but think it was a sair miscarriage o
| Justice / believe myself that every case
should be tried on its ain meritssbut M
and the Shirra are evidently no O tn
same mind"
Hoover that may be, my lass" re
plied her father, Il Gamma understani
hoo YOU should concern yourself aboo
that prohigate loon, Rob JACKIE
Il am no cOncernin' mysel sac miclll
ABBOTT him, father" answered Mary
mae mair than l wad dae ABBOTT on,
ither unfortunate fellow-creature.' Ha'
the old man been closer 10 his daughte
he might have perceived on her fushe
] cheeks traces Of the unbidden tear, tina
tell-tale evidence of a sorrow more pois
nant than can ever proceed from mer
disinterested sympathy.