Iron County register., 1900-05-03


score of so insignificant person.; SO,
nothing daunted. he slipped the salm-
on into his plaid and girt himself
again for the road. As the other
showed no sign of addressing him. he
felt bound il civility to venture a re-
mark.
''Extraordinar' fine wather for the
back-end," he said, affably.
There's naething wrang wi the
| wather," answered the stranger, rude
". Its fine and clear for seeing
poachers.''
The shepherd whistled softly Could
| this man be?
rs it possible he said, slowly and
deliberately. "can you be what they
ca a bailiff?''
'As ye'll sune find OUT
"Ay. man! Div We ken, never saw
a bailiff afore, and I've ay wondered
what they were like. But / thocht
they would pit on bigger men for the
| job. Dodi l took you for that new
tailor-body that's come to the muirs."
The bailiff was sensitive, and at the
suggestion his eyes flashed. Tailor"
he began, with snort of Indignation,
but checked himself. I'm the mean
time" he continued. with forced po-
liteness, I'll trouble ye for your
name
And what if l dinna tell yep
asked the shepherd, sweetly.
It'll be the waur for yourself: I'll
just haze TO follow We
'Aweel, it's a gey lonesome bit O.
the road onyway, and I'll be name the
waur o your company. We can haze
a crack on the way. Ye see,' he con-
tinued. as they set off together. Il
Gamma afford to gang to the Jail just
the noo-the wather's over guild; and
I've nae siller to waste on fines"
IF ye Gamma pay the fine, to the
Jail We maun gang"
We'll see if we Gamma find some it'll
er way" said the shepherd, cheerily.
But We'll no crack about that the
moo. TAX a fin." and he held out q
stump of rank black tobacco.
The bailiff was surly and taciturn.
He was deeply wrathful at being COM
PEELED to follow. and he walked on
ward in stolid silence. The shepherd,
on the other hand. was in Il particularly
pleasant humor and. considering his
grave delinquency, his conversation
was light hearted to an unseemly de-
gree.
"Guid yowes!" he said, with a wave
of his hand toward the flock. The
best sheep to be got in the market.
And we would scarcely believe it. but
l bocht them frae the maist black
vird dealer in the country. It's a
| u I hon Z.
but I've managed it this time;" and
he poked at a goodly sheep with "A
grunt of satisfaction. And L see
we're eyeing the dowgs," he contin-
ued, airily. Fine animals! Man, are
they no just beauties, bath o them
1t would TAX lot to beat the black
yin: and for Meg-there's no her
marrow in the countryside amang
sheep; she's gleg yin, and mony a
story | could tell about her. Yell ken
that wild bit. ava at the head o the
waiter, ca'ed the Craig Slap? Weel.
it was ae dark winters nichr"- And
he rambled into some story not over
creditable to himself.
So he ratified on, from subject to
subject, story to story. entirely reck-
less of the fact that the bailif paid
him not the least attention. That
minister of the law, albeit at heart he
felt somewhat apprshensive. pre-
served outwardly a dignified and
| scornful silence.
The day was approaching the dark
| ening, and the night frost was ting
ling in the faces of the two men when
at last the shepherd halted. They had
come to a place where the stream ran
in pools and shadows, and as far as
the turn in the valley there was no one
III sight,
Meg" cried the shepherd, watch
thae sheep and he turned toward the
stream.
"Whaur are We gaun?" asked the
bailiff, suspiciously.
ITO catch saumon. Are We comm? p
said the shepherd, cheerfully. He
peered cautiously over the edge of the
bank and drew back in silence. Hush .
Here's a grand yin. Haze We gotten
your heuks, bailiff? No? Then I'll
haze to lend We mine
What for?''
ITO catch that saumon."
"Whae?''
You
The bailiff laughed scornfully.
"Weel." said the shepherd, III no
pit We in there. Even a sma' thing
frichts a saumon. But. that's a fine
deep pool yonder; and I'm thinkin' it S
gey cauld moo that the suns doom.
Will We catch that saumon?'
NO
Then it Gamma be heipit;" and. tuck
ing the small man under his arm. the
shepherd carried him kicking and
wriggling to the edge of the pool. In
another moment the unhappy bailif
was standing waist deep in water.
MOO" he continued, laying his
watch on the grass, I'll gle We three
minutes to max up your mind; and if
by that time ye're aye obstinate, head
over heels We go into the deep bit"
For minute there was silence be-
tween the two men, broken only by
the swish of the stream and the tapping
of the water against the bailiff's body;
then the shepherd broke out again.
No" he said, with the air of one who
has been Pondering Il difficult question,
81 Gamma for the life O me max out
what in the world garred We venture