The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-05-26


diculous to have any fears on the
score OF so insignificant n 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 in ciyility to venture re-
mark.
"Extraordinar' fine wather for the
back-end." he said, affably.
There's naething wrang wi the
wather," answered the stranger, rude
ly. Its fine and clear for seeing
ponchers."
The shepherd whistled softly. Could
this man be-?
us it possible" he said, slowly and
deliberately, "can you be what they
ca bailiff?"
"As yen sumo find out"
"Ay, mani Div We ken, never saw
a bailiff aforc, and I've ay wondered
what they were like. But / thocht
they would pit on bigger men for the
job. Dodi took you for that new
tailor-body that's come to the muirs."
The bailiif was sensitive. and at the
suggestion his eyes flashed. "Tailor!"
he began, with snort of Indignation
but checked himself. "In the mean
time" he continued, with forced po-
likeness, "Pll trouble We for your
name"
and what II / dinna tell YEP"
asked the shepherd, sweetly.
'It'll be the waur for yourself I'll
just haze to follow ye."
"Aweel, it's gey lonesome bit O.
the road anyway, and I'll be name the
waur o. your company. We can haze
crack on the way. We see" he con-
tinued, as they set off together, II
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 We Gamma pay the fine, TO the
Jail We maun gang"
"We1l sec If we canna.fnd some it'll
err way" said the shepherd, cheerily.
"But wen no crack about that the
moo. TAX fill." and he held out a
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 particularly
pleasant humor and, considering his
grave delinquency, his conversation
was light hearted to an unseemly de-
gree.
"Guid yowesl" he said, with wave
of his hand toward the flock. "The
best sheep to be got in the market!
And We would scarcely believe 1t, but
bocht them frac the maist black
yird dealer in the country. It's q
queer thing. 1t doesna often happen;
but I've managed it this time" and
he poled at goodly sheep with n
grunt OF satisfaction. "And / see
ye're cycling the dowgs," he contin-
ued, airily. Zine animals! Man, are
they no just beauties, bath o. them?
1t would talk lot to beat the black
yin; and for Meg-there's no her
marrow in the countryside nmang
sheep; she's gleg yin, and mony n
that wild bit, AVA ut the head o. the
waiter, ca'cd the Craig Slap? Weel,
ii was ne dark winters nicht'- And
he rambled into some story not over
creditablc to himself.
So he ratified on, from subject to
subject, story TO story, entirely reck
less OF the fact that the bailiif paid
him not the least attention. That
minister Of the law, albeit at heart he
felt somewhat npprehensivc, pre-
served outwardly n 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 place where the stream ran
in pools and shadows, and as far as
the turn in the valley there was no one
in sight.
Meg" cried the shepherd, watch
thae sheep" and he turned toward the
stream.
'Whaur are We gaun2" asked the
bailiff, suspiciously.
ITO catch saumon. Are We comin'?"
said the shepherd, cheerfully. He
peered cautiously over the edge OF the
bank and drew back in silence. "Hushl
Here's grand yin. Haze ye gotten
your heuks. bailifr? No? Then Ill
haze TO lend We mine"
what for?"
ITO catch that saumon."
"Whae?"
"You."
The bailiff laughed scornfully.
"Wcel," said the shepherd, I'll no
pit We In there. Even sma' thing
frlchts a saumon. But, that's a fine
deep pool yondcr; and I'm thinlin' it's
gey cauld moo that the suns doom.
Will We catch that saumon?"
"No."
Then IL Gamma be helpit;" and, tuck
ing the small man under his arm, the
shepherd carried him kicking and
wrggling TO the edge of the pool. In
another moment the unhappy bailiff
was standing waist deep In winter.