250 Poachers and Poaching. 



bleak and exposed fell tops. In this was their 

 safety. To relieve the sheep that had as yet 

 escaped, hay was carried to the Fells. Each 

 shepherd had a loose bundle upon his back. It 

 was thus, with the three dogs, that we toiled up 

 the gorge, by an undefined route, parallel to the 

 buried fence. -Soon it commenced to snow 

 heavily, and the sky suddenly darkened. The 

 dogs that were in front stopped before some 

 object. They whined, ran towards us, and gave 

 out short, sharp barks. With a kind of instinc- 

 tive dread we followed them. They led us on 

 to a granite boulder ; on its lee side lay some- 

 thing starkly outlined against 'the snow. Dead! 

 we whispered to each other. There was no 

 trace of pain nothing but quiet peace. The icy 

 fingers grasped a pencil, and on the snow lay a 

 scrap of paper. It contained only two words 

 " This day " nothing more. 



It was Christmas. In silent benediction the 

 snow-flakes fell upon him, and as these formed a 

 pure white shroud, his face seemed touched with 

 the light of ineffable love. We buried him next 

 day in the little mountain cemetery. Whence 

 he came, or whither he went, none ever knew. 

 A few belongings paltry enough are thrust in a 

 hole in the old barn for her. How precious, too, 

 God knows, if ever she should come that way. 



This cold, still, dead thing, is a sad association, 

 but it will remain. 



