The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

n Challenger.
by the bright patches of withered bTscken.
! the soft green turf of the burnside. and
| the clumps Of dark pine which dotted their
slopes
| The shepherd OF Kingsmuir arose laziiy
! from the messy bank where he had been
reclining He was returning from one of
! his rare visits to the nearest market
/ town; and. as the way was long and the
/ heat had been oppressive. he had sat him
down by the stream side TO rest. But
now shutdown and the chill of evening re-
minded him that he must be getting on
his way; so. wrapping his plaid more
tightly round his broad shoulders he re-
pared to resume his journey. Before him
in a struggling line the flock Of sheep he
had that day bought at the market
solemnly cropped the roadside turf Ranked
by two shaggy collies. who watched in
Jealous rivalry to prevent their strayiug:
and the shepherd, as he surveyed their
broad well-fieeced backs, was filed with
. much content 30. ."-lr
I ''Meg-Don-away by wide" he cried in
the mysterious language of herding But
as. at the order. the obedient- dogs scam
pered off In a hairy whirlwind to recall
stragglers and trim the flock for the
march. something in the stream at his
feet caught the shepherds eye and made
him bend cautiously lower. For the shep-
herd, though in many ways an exemplary
subject and strict observer of the laws
or the realm, made one exception. The
salmon laws. he held. were iniquitous;
and there being few things in the world
he loved better than salmon, he saw no
reason why he should not capture them
when and By what means he chose he
close season had commenced; aud on
the lower streams the bailiffs would be
keeping strict watch for the unwary
poacher But here 1t was different. One
such gentleman, | have heard, did, in a
fit OF overzealousness for duty penetrate
these Businesses; but from his fate mis-
successors took warning. and of late years
these moorland streams had been a little
overlooked
So it was with small fear of Interrupt
tion from that quarter that the shepherd
took out his hooks for the capture of
goodly salmon which lay invitingly in a
convenient part of the stream. He was
an old. experienced hand, and advanced
confidently. expecting an easy capture
Warily he approached the stream and ar
ranked his tackle; and very skillfuly he
worked his hooks upward. But the salmon
was a cunning fish. and resisted the eff
forts to land him. With each failure the
shepherd grew the more determined. till
at last. in the heat of the chase he be
came oblvious to all else. So enerossed
was he that he did not notice a short,
thick-set man approach and stand watch
ing him with grim smile.
The newcomer seemed strangely out OF
place In his surroundings. In his appear
ance there were none of these marks which
cling to the dweller in the hills and dis
tinguish him from other men. He had the
air Of one who had strayed from the smoke
OF mining country into the midst Of this
~ Il
tainly not a shepherd He was short and
squat with bull neck and an unlovely
countenance unimproved by most vicious
cast in his eyesight. and the Ieer which
disfgured his face when the shepherd his
perseverance at last rewarded drew his
prize TO land and at length turned round
gave him a most sinister aspect.
The shepherd eyed the stranger with ,
some establishment. He had nor heard him ,
approach and his silent behavior was .
ominous. But it was ridiculous TO have
any fears on the score OF so insignificant a /
person; so, nothing daunted. he slipped the (
salmon into his plaid and grit himself /
again for the road. As the other showe:. /
no sign of addressing him. he felt bound !
in civility to venture remark
Extraordinary fine wather for the back /
end" he said affably.
There's naethng wrang wi the /
wather,' answered the stranger rudely. :
IT'S fine and clear for seeing poachers"
The shepherd whistled softly. Could this /
man be?
rs it possible he said slowly and delib /
erately. can you be what they ca a |
bsiliff?'
las ven sune find out"
'Ay. man. Div We ken / never saw d 1
bailiff afore. and I've ay wondered what /
they were like. But rhocht they would /
pit on bigger men for the job. bod, l /
took We for that new taiior-body that's /
come to the muirs''
The bailiff was sensitive, and al the sug-
gestion his eyes flashed Tailor" he be-
gan, with snort Of indignation but
checked himself. In the mean time" he
continued. with forced politeness, III
trouble We for your name
And what if dinna tell ye?' asked the
shepherd sweetly.
.it'll be the waur for yourself! I'll just
haze to follow ye.'
"Awell it's a gey lonesome bit o the
road anyway. and III be name the waur o.
your company. We can haze crack on the
way Ye Sec" he continued 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 We Gamma pay the fine, TO the jail We
maun gang.
Wen see if we Gamma find some ither
way" said the shepherd cheerily. But
well no crack about that the moo. TAX a |
FILL and he held out a stump of rank black /
tobacco.
The bailiff was surly and taciturn He |
was deeply wrathful at being compelled to |
follow, and he walked onward in stolid 81 |
lence. rhe shepherd, on the other hand, |
was in a particularly pleasant humor. and, |
considering his grave delinquency. his con-
versation was light-hearted to an unseemly |
degree.
"Gud yowes,' ne said. with wave of /
his hand toward the flock. The best |
sheep to be got in the market, And ye
would scarcely believe it, but oocht them
frae the maist blackyird dealer in the