The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-02-20

shrill tumult that still continued to
come from beyond the bridge. Come,
let US quicken our pace. L am in the
chancellor's service, and know some
thing about taxes"
The man became much more obse-
quious in manner, and, riding his pony
dexteriously alongside Reginald horse,
addressed him volubly in a wheedling
tone:
"My master did nothing outrageous,
my good lord, so help me-all: the
saints"
"Say the God of Abraham at once,
my good man. Your face betrays you
for one of the accursed race"
The man crossed himself nimbly, and
protested with exaggerated earnestness:
''Then my face, my just and good
am good Christian, faithful son of
Holy Church. / swear it"
"What did your master dor" broke
in Reginald, abruptly.
eve went into house with the roll
of the last poll-tax."
"Who gave you that?" interrupted
Reginald.
"Master Docket, the mayors clerk.
We went into house with this roll f,
and there we found a woman and her
daughter. What would you, sir?' said
she, with courtesy. Giles and Susan
Buckley" says my master, reading
from the roll, two. Where's Giles?'
'Out in the fields, sir, says she try
ing to earn crust in these hard times
And who is this?' said he pointing to
the girl. My daughter, sir, says she.
How old is she?' says he. Then the
old shrew's face changed, and what
is that to your says she. And who
are you to come peering and prying
into honest folks houses? If so be
that you are the taxor, we have had
enough of you already. The lass is
just thirteen last Lady Day. 'Thir-
teen' cries my master, laughing;
she's well grown filly for thirteen
yes, Master Inquisitvie,' says the
shrew, Il thank our Lady, she is we'll
grown for her age Come my pretty
lass, says my master, 4 must have a
nearer sight of you. Here, Peter, he
says to me, hold this ROLL With that
the lass screamed, and her mother
screamed, and ran out of the house
screaming, and the girl struggled and
got away, and ran out after her mother,
screaming and crying 'Murder' My
master and 1 laughed; but when we
came to the door it was no laughing
matter, for the shrews had swarmed
out of their houses, and they set upon
us, and my master spoke them fair,
but they would not hear him, and as he
would have got on his horse one seized
him by the leg and pulled him to the
ground. But praise be to Saint Ed
mund here he comes! He is clear of
them at last!'
The tax-farmer appeared on the top
of the bridge, squirting his pony to
such a pace that it's fore-feet, as it was
approaching, seemed to be on level
with its nose. His chin seemed to rest
on the top of it's head; his face was all
despatched with blood and filth; his
gown was flying in dirty tatters about
him. He had evidently been having a
bad time.
While the attention of Reginald and
his yeomen was arrested by this appar-
ition the servant suddenly wheeled his
pony round and made off.
"Stay!" cried Reginald, cutting at
him with his whip as he fed. "You
are away without your hire"
The man made off at full speed of
his pony, bowling, swearing, praying
for mercy, crying out that the king
should hear of it.
Reginald said nothing, but galloped
after him for hundred yards or so,
laying on heartily with his whip.
When the master saw how his man
was being served, without Stacking the
speed of his pony, he diverged to the
right, and tore across the common,
choosing the narrowest track through
furze and bracken.
The yeomen hallOoed and made a
feint of chasing him, but soon returned,
and cantered after Reginald over the
bridge into the town of Sudbury.