Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-03-30

MS mana toward Hue Aoch. 1sf A'AS 0Sos
sheep to be got in the market! An We
waud scarcely believe it, but bocht them
frae the the maist backyard dealer IN
the country It's queer thing 1t does
ma often happen; but I've managed 1t this
time" and he poked at goodly sheep
with a grunt of satisfaction. "An' I
i see we're eyeni the dowgs," he contin-
ued airly. "Fine animals! Man, are they
i no lust beauties, bath O them? 1t waud
TAX lot to beat the black yin; and for
| Meg-theres no her marrow T. the country
side amang sheep; she's gleg YIN, ana
mony a story could tell ABBOTT her Yen
ken that wild bit, ava a. the head O. the
| waiter, ca'ed the Craig Slap? Weel 1t
wa ae dark winters nichu'- And he
rambled into some story not over credita-
BILE to himself
So he ratified on, from subject to subject.
story to story. entirely reckless Of the fact
| that the bailiff paid him not the least at
| tention. That minister Of the law, albeit
| at heart he felt somewhat apprehensive.
preserved outwardly dignified and scorn-
! full silence.
The day was approaching the darkening,
| and the night frost was tingling 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 in sight.
Meg. cried the shepherd, watch thae
Sheep" and he turned toward the stream.
"Whaur are We gaun?' asked the bailiff.
suspiciously. z
ITO catch, saumon. Are, We comin'?"
said the shepherd, cheerfully> He peered
cautiously over the edge of the bank
and drew back in silence. "Huhr! Here's
grand yin. Haze ye gotten your heuks,
bailiff? No? Then I'll haze to lend We
NINE"
"What for?"
ITO catch that saumon."
"Whae?" ..t""
"You." ,[
The bailiff laughed scornfully.
"Weel," said the shepherd. "I'n no pit
We in there Even a sma' thing frichts
saumon But that's fine deep pool
yonder; and I'm thinkin' IS gey cauld
moo that the suns doom. Will We catch
that saumon?"
mo" y
"Then it Gamma be helpit;" and, tucking
the small man under his arm. the shep-
herd carried him kicking and wriggling
to the edge of the pool. In another mo-
ment the unhappy bailiff 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 q minute there was silence between
the two men. broken only by the swish
of the stream and the tapping Of the
water against the bailift's body; then the
shepherd broke out again. 'sjS%
mo-" he said, with the air Of one who
has been bordering difficult question.
II Gamma for the life o. me max out what
in the world CARED We venture sac far
frae hame. Ance afore-it was lang syne
-bailiff cam here and what he got was
warnin' to them that cam after him.
He was a big man: but what CARED you,
man O. your size, daur I Gamma think.
Ye wad dae weel eneuch. I've nae doot.
amang the shilpit bodies that bide where
you cam frae. But to come here-it's
perfect insult to the muirs. Just figure
you and muckle Jock Shetland at the
imaginative picture the shepherd was con-
vulsed with laughter.
/ Meanwhile-for he was a conscientious
mana struggle was In progress in the
bailiff's heart. For the first minute his
resolution stood firm by his duty. But
gradually the ice cold Of the water seeped
through his clothes. through his skin,
into his very bones. His legs ached and
shivers went through his whole body.
The cold crept steadily upward. seeming
to expel all the blood from his legs; as
1t advanced his resolution began proper
tionately to wane, and he to think he
had better make the best Of a bad busi-
! ness. The struggle with his conscience
was short. He looked at the dark, deep
hole where the stream FLASHED into the
pool, and shuddered. The struggle was
over. He had stood by his duty long
| enough. Surely it would be folly to go
further. So when the time had expired,
and the shepherd asked his decision, II
suppose III haze to dae it," he said; but
I'll pay We out yet"
Never fash yourself about that" said
the shepherd. Come moo and we'll ha' e
a crack wi yon saumon."
With an i'll grace the bailiff took the
hooks and addressed himself to his un-
| pleasant task. At first he made little
attempt to catch the fish. He had q
| vague hope that in time relief would come
from some quarter. and he put off the
evil moment. Meanwhile the shepherd
| taunted him from behind.
"Eh, man! We haze little skill. The
saumon's playing wi We. Div We no see
he's fair lauchin' at ye?. And, by the way,
bailin-about that visit of ours to the
court-will 1t be sumo, div We think, or will
| we pit 1t aft indefinitely? Personally ]
would recommend the last way-but ony
way We like" ..+
But taunts were Of no avail The bailift
| did not in the least feel his honor Of
| Tended, and his efforts were still languid
At last the shepherd grew impatient.
"See here" he said, "it's nae use de-
| iayin'. Ye've got to catch the saunon
and If We dinna be smart I'll put We in the
water again. BY the way" he added
casually, here's Jock Shiel himself COM
in. If I were you I'd hurry up and catch
| that flush afore onybody saw me-"
| The bailiff glanced around and there,
! sure enough, the six foot Of stalwart
shepherd came in liesurely fashion down
| the road. His last hope fed. There was
! nothing to be expected from the new
! -