52 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



respectable positions of society, had done a little 

 of it in their time, simply because they could not 

 help it, how much shocked some good people would 

 be. There is a witchery under green leaves that 

 holds people at times. One long - legged, gaunt 

 trespasser in this matter was the woodland clown 

 of the district. His captors had always something 

 to laugh at when they caught him ; he certainly 

 was barefaced at times. How many fines he had 

 paid, it would be difficult to say ; but the lot would 

 mount up to a very heavy sum. He was other- 

 wise perfectly harmless ; for so far as my own per- 

 sonal knowledge went, he never hurt any person 

 or thing except the creatures he went in pursuit 

 of, but very rarely did he miss getting what he 

 set his mind on. One day, just as he had taken 

 a fine rabbit from a flam, and was about to break 

 its neck, some one spoke from behind him " At 

 your old game, then ? " Coolly turning round, the 

 man saw his old acquaintance the keeper. 



" What do ye mean about game ? this ain't no 

 game, I can tell ye ; I'm real earnest tryen my 

 hardest to do good to this poor lunatic rabbit. I 

 was comin' along, and sees him pokin' his head 



