330 THIEVING DOGS AND HOUSES 



When she had told her tale, a constable came forward 

 and stated that, only the Saturday before, a dog answering 

 to the same description had attacked a poor woman in the 

 neighbourhood, and snatched from her a bundle containing 

 two shirts, some handkerchiefs, and other articles of dress, 

 and had run off with them, leaving the woman so 

 frightened that she had nearly died of terror. And these 

 charges were not the only ones that were lodged against 

 this dog. Four or five more complaints of robbery 

 were brought against him, and though no man had ever 

 been seen in his neighbourhood, at the time the thefts 

 were committed, it was supposed that he must have been 

 carefully trained to the work, and also to bring his spoil 

 back to his master, who would be hiding in some place 

 not far distant. In the end, the constable undertook to 

 stop his pranks, or else to shoot him. 



Sometimes, however, it is not possible for the master 

 (and real offender) to keep entirely in the background, and 

 instances have been known of the punishment falling on 

 the right head. 



Towards the close of the last century two men and a 

 dog were tried for sheep-stealing before one of the most 

 celebrated Scotch judges of the day. 



One of the men, Murdieston by name, lived on a farm 

 on the north bank of the Tweed, nearly opposite the 

 beautiful old castle of Traquair ; the other, who was 

 called Millar, was his shepherd. They were much re- 

 spected by their neighbours as quiet industrious people, 

 but in reality had carried on the business of sheep-stealers 

 for many years without exciting the suspicion of any one. 

 Indeed, they were so very cautious that, even in the 

 middle hf the night, they would never drive the stolen 

 animals along the high road, lonely though the country 

 was, but preferred to keep to the side of the bare hills that 

 lie between the little river of Leithen and the Tweed. 

 Not that they were safe even here, for a careful shepherd 

 would often make the round of his flocks by night, or it 



