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a　tombstone；　he　told　me　for　an　example　a　story　of　its　earlier　

inhabitants。　　Years　after　it　chanced　that　I　was　one　day　diverting　

myself　with　a　Waverley　Novel；　when　what　should　I　come　upon　but　the　

identical　narrative　of　my　green…coated　gentleman　upon　the　moors！　　

In　a　moment　the　scene；　the　tones　of　his　voice；　his　northern　accent；　

and　the　very　aspect　of　the　earth　and　sky　and　temperature　of　the　

weather；　flashed　back　into　my　mind　with　the　reality　of　dreams。　　The　

unknown　in　the　green…coat　had　been　the　Great　Unknown！　　I　had　met　

Scott；　I　had　heard　a　story　from　his　lips；　I　should　have　been　able　

to　write；　to　claim　acquaintance；　to　tell　him　that　his　legend　still　

tingled　in　my　ears。　　But　the　discovery　came　too　late；　and　the　great　

man　had　already　succumbed　under　the　load　of　his　honours　and　

misfortunes。



Presently；　after　giving　us　a　cigar　apiece；　Scott　bade　us　farewell　

and　disappeared　with　his　daughter　over　the　hills。　　And　when　I　

applied　to　Sim　for　information；　his　answer　of　'The　Shirra；　man！　　

A'body　kens　the　Shirra！'　told　me；　unfortunately；　nothing。



A　more　considerable　adventure　falls　to　be　related。　　We　were　now　

near　the　border。　　We　had　travelled　for　long　upon　the　track　beaten　

and　browsed　by　a　million　herds；　our　predecessors；　and　had　seen　no　

vestige　of　that　traffic　which　had　created　it。　　It　was　early　in　the　

morning　when　we　at　last　perceived；　drawing　near　to　the　drove　road；　

but　still　at　a　distance　of　about　half　a　league；　a　second　caravan；　

similar　to　but　larger　than　our　own。　　The　liveliest　excitement　was　

at　once　exhibited　by　both　my　comrades。　　They　climbed　hillocks；　they　

studied　the　approaching　drove　from　under　their　hand；　they　consulted　

each　other　with　an　appearance　of　alarm　that　seemed　to　me　

extraordinary。　　I　had　learned　by　this　time　that　their　stand…oft　

manners　implied；　at　least；　no　active　enmity；　and　I　made　bold　to　ask　

them　what　was　wrong。



'Bad　yins；'　was　Sim's　emphatic　answer。



All　day　the　dogs　were　kept　unsparingly　on　the　alert；　and　the　drove　

pushed　forward　at　a　very　unusual　and　seemingly　unwelcome　speed。　　

All　day　Sim　and　Candlish；　with　a　more　than　ordinary　expenditure　

both　of　snuff　and　of　words；　continued　to　debate　the　position。　　It　

seems　that　they　had　recognised　two　of　our　neighbours　on　the　road　…　

one　Faa；　and　another　by　the　name　of　Gillies。　　Whether　there　was　an　

old　feud　between　them　still　unsettled　I　could　never　learn；　but　Sim　

and　Candlish　were　prepared　for　every　degree　of　fraud　or　violence　at　

their　hands。　　Candlish　repeatedly　congratulated　himself　on　having　

left　'the　watch　at　home　with　the　mistress'；　and　Sim　perpetually　

brandished　his　cudgel；　and　cursed　his　ill…fortune　that　it　should　be　

sprung。



'I　willna　care　a　damn　to　gie　the　daashed　scoon'rel　a　fair　clout　wi'　

it；'　he　said。　　'The　daashed　thing　micht　come　sindry　in　ma　hand。'



'Well；　gentlemen；'　said　I；　'suppose　they　do　come　on；　I　think　we　can　

give　a　very　good　account　of　them。'　　And　I　made　my　piece　of　holly；　

Ronald's　gift；　the　value　of　which　I　now　appreciated；　sing　about　my　

head。



'Ay；　man？　　Are　ye　stench？'　inquired　Sim；　with　a　gleam　of　approval　

in　his　wooden　countenance。



The　same　evening；　somewhat　wearied　with　our　day…long　expedition；　we　

encamped　on　a　little　verdant　mound；　from　the　midst　of　which　there　

welled　a　spring　of　clear　water　scarce　great　enough　to　wash　the　

hands　in。　　We　had　made　our　meal　and　lain　down；　but　were　not　yet　

asleep；　when　a　growl　from　one　of　the　collies　set　us　on　the　alert。　　

All　three　sat　up；　and　on　a　second　impulse　all　lay　down　again；　but　

now　with　our　cudgels　ready。　　A　man　must　be　an　alien　and　an　outlaw；　

an　old　soldier　and　a　young　man　in　the　bargain；　to　take　adventure　

easily。　　With　no　idea　as　to　the　rights　of　the　quarrel　or　the　

probable　consequences　of　the　encounter；　I　was　as　ready　to　take　part　

with　my　two　drovers；　as　ever　to　fall　in　line　on　the　morning　of　a　

battle。　　Presently　there　leaped　three　men　out　of　the　heather；　we　

had　scarce　time　to　get　to　our　feet　before　we　were　assailed；　and　in　

a　moment　each　one　of　us　was　engaged　with　an　adversary　whom　the　

deepening　twilight　scarce　permitted　him　to　see。　　How　the　battle　

sped　in　other　quarters　I　am　in　no　position　to　describe。　　The　rogue　

that　fell　to　my　share　was　exceedingly　agile　and　expert　with　his　

weapon；　had　and　held　me　at　a　disadvantage　from　the　first　assault；　

forced　me　to　give　ground　continually；　and　at　last；　in　mere　self…

defence；　to　let　him　have　the　point。　　It　struck　him　in　the　throat；　

and　he　went　down　like　a　ninepin　and　moved　no　more。



It　seemed　this　was　the　signal　for　the　engagement　to　be　

discontinued。　　The　other　combatants　separated　at　once；　our　foes　

were　suffered；　without　molestation；　to　lift　up　and　bear　away　their　

fallen　comrade；　so　that　I　perceived　this　sort　of　war　to　be　not　

wholly　without　laws　of　chivalry；　and　perhaps　rather　to　partake　of　

the　character　of　a　tournament　than　of　a　battle　A　OUTRANCE。　　There　

was　no　doubt；　at　least；　that　I　was　supposed　to　have　pushed　the　

affair　too　seriously。　　Our　friends　the　enemy　removed　their　wounded　

companion　with　undisguised　consternation；　and　they　were　no　sooner　

over　the　top　of　the　brae；　than　Sim　and　Candlish　roused　up　their　

wearied　drove　and　set　forth　on　a　night　march。



'I'm　thinking　Faa's　unco　bad；'　said　the　one。



'Ay；'　said　the　other；　'he　lookit　dooms　gash。'



'He　did　that；'　said　the　first。



And　their　weary　silence　fell　upon　them　again。



Presently　Sim　turned　to　me。　　'Ye're　unco　ready　with　the　stick；'　

said　he。



'Too　ready；　I'm　afraid；'　said　I。　　'I　am　afraid　Mr。　Faa　（if　that　be　

his　name）　has　got　his　gruel。'



'Weel；　I　wouldnae　wonder；'　replied　Sim。



'And　what　is　likely　to　happen？'　I　inquired。



'Aweel；'　said　Sim；　snuffing　profoundly；　'if　I　were　to　offer　an　

opeenion；　it　would　not　be　conscientious。　　For　the　plain　fac'　is；　

Mr。　St。　Ivy；　that　I　div　not　ken。　　We　have　had　crackit　heids　…　and　

rowth　of　them　…　ere　now；　and　we　have　had　a　broken　leg　or　maybe　twa；　

and　the　like　of　that　we　drover　bodies　make　a　kind　of　a　practice　

like　to　keep　among　oursel's。　　But　a　corp　we　have　none　of　us　ever　

had　to　deal　with；　and　I　could　set　nae　leemit　to　what　Gillies　micht　

consider　proper　in　the　affair。　　Forbye　that；　he　would　be　in　raither　

a　hobble　himsel'；　if　he　was　to　gang　hame　wantin'　Faa。　　Folk　are　

awfu'　throng　with　their　questions；　and　parteecularly　when　they're　

no　wantit。'



'That's　a　fac'；'　said　Candlish。



I　considered　this　prospect　ruefully；　and　then　making　the　best　of　

it；　'Upon　all　which　accounts；'　said　I；　'the　best　will　be　to　get　

across　the　border　and　there　separate。　　If　you　are　troubled；　you　can　

very　truly　put　the　blame　upon　your　late　companion；　and　if　I　am　

pursued；　I　must　just　try　to　keep　out　of　the　way。'



'Mr。　St。　Ivy；'　said　Sim；　with　something　resembling　enthusiasm；　'no'　

a　word　mair！　　I　have　met　in　wi'　mony　kinds　o'　gentry　ere　now；　I　hae　

seen　o'　them　that　was　the　tae　thing；　and　I　hae　seen　o'　them　that　

was　the　tither；　but　the　wale　of　a　gentleman　like　you　I　have　no　sae　

very　frequently　seen　the　bate　of。'



Our　night　march　was　accordingly　pursued　with　unremitting　diligence。　　

The　stars　paled；　the　east　whitened；　and　we　were　still；　both　dogs　

and　men；　toiling　after　the　wearied　cattle。　　Again　and　again　Sim　and　

Candlish　lamented　the　necessity：　it　was　'fair　ruin　on　the　bestial；'　

they　declared；　but　the　thought　of　a　judge　and　a　scaffold　hunted　

them　ever　forward。　　I　myself　was　not　so　much　to　be　pitied。　　All　

that　night；　and　during　the　whole　of　the　little　that　remained　before　

us　of　our　conjunct　journey；　I　enjoyed　a　new　pleasure；　the　reward　of　

my　prowess；　in　the　now　loosened　tongue　of　Mr。　Sim。　　Candlish　was　

still　obdurately　taciturn：　it　was　the　man's　nature；　but　Sim；　having　

finally　appraised　and　approved　me；　displayed　without　reticence　a　

rather　garrulous　habit　of　mind　and　a　pretty　talent　for　narration。　　

The　pair　were　old　and　close　companions；　co…existing　in　these　

endless　moors　in　a　brotherhood　of　silence　such　as　I　have　heard　

attributed　to　the　trappers　of　the　west。　　It　seems　absurd　to　mention　

love　in　connection　with　so　ugly　and　snuffy　a　couple；　at　least；　

their　trust　was　absolute；　and　they　entertained　a　surprising　

admiration　for　each　other's　qualities；　Candlish　exclaiming　that　Sim　

was　'grand　company！'　and　Sim　frequently　assuring　me　in　an　aside　

that　for　'a　rale；　auld；　stench　bitch；　there　was　nae　the　bate　of　

Candlish　in　braid　Scotland。'　　The　two　dogs　appeared　to　be　entirely　

included　in　this　family　compact；　and　I　remarked　that　their　exploits　

and　traits　of　character　were　constantly　and　minutely　observed　by　

the　two　masters。　　Dog　stories　particularly　abounded　with　them；　and　

not　only　the　dogs　of　the　present　but　those　of　the　past　contributed　

their　quota。　　'But　that　was　naething；'　Sim　would　begin：　'there　was　

a　herd　in　Manar；　they　ca'd　him　Tweedie　…　ye'll　mind　Tweedie；　

Can'lish？'　　'Fine；　that！'　said　Candlish。　　'Aweel；　Tweedie　had