A Desperate Gang. 193 



CHAPTER IX. 



GUERILLA WARFARE — GUN ACCIDENTS — BLACK 

 SHEEP. 



Scarcely a keeper can be found who has not got 

 one or more tales to tell of encounters with poachers, 

 sometimes of a desperate character. There is a 

 general similarity in most of the accounts, which ex- 

 hibit a mixture of ferocity and cowardice on the side 

 of the intruders. The following case, which occurred 

 some years since, brings these contradictory features 

 into relief. The narrator was not the owner of the 

 man-trap described previously. 



There had been a great deal of poaching before the 

 affray took place, and finally it grew to horse-stealing : 

 one night two valuable horses were taken from the 

 home park. This naturally roused the indignation of 

 the owner of the estate, who resolved to put a stop to 

 it. Orders were given that if shots were heard in the 

 woods the news should be at once transmitted to head- 

 quarters, no matter at what hour of the night. 



o 



