t my place; make him move." "Mawther! do speak to this Fred." "Oh!
father, this big brute of a Harry's kickin' me!" And so on.

II.

When the miserable meal was over, Wylie got a rope and a butcher's
knife, and went out to slaughter the steer; but first there was a row,
because he thought--or pretended to think--that somebody had been
using his knife. He lassoed the beast, drew it up to the rails, and
slaughtered it.

Meanwhile, Jack and his next brother took an old gun, let the dogs
loose, and went 'possum shooting.

Presently Wylie came in again, sat down by the fire, and smoked. The
children quarrelled over a boy's book; Mrs. Wylie made weak attempts
to keep the peace, but they took no notice of her. Suddenly her husband
rose with an oath, seized the novel, and threw it behind the fire.

"Git to bed! git to bed!" he roared at the children; "git to bed, or
I'll smash your brains with the axe!"

They got to bed. It was made of saplings and bark, covered with three
bushel-bags full of straw and old pieces of blanket sewn together. The
children quarrelled in bed till their father took off his belt and "went
into" them, according to promise. There was a sudden hush, followed by
a sound like a bird-clapper; then howls; then a peaceful calm fell upon
that happy home.

Wylie went out again, and was absent an hour; on his return he sat by
the fire and smoked sullenly. After a while he snatched the pipe from
his mouth, and looked impatiently at the old woman.

"Oh! for God's sake, git to bed," he snapped, "and don't be asittin'
there like a blarsted funeral! You're enough to give a man the dismals."

Mrs. Wylie gathered up her sewing and retired. Then he said to his
daughter: "You come and hold the candle."

Mary put on her hood and followed her father to the yard. The carcase
lay close to the rails, against which two sheets of bark had been raised
as a break-wind. The beast had been partly skinned, and a portion of
the hide, where a brand might have been, was carefully turned back. Mary
noticed this at once. Her father went on with his work, and occasionally
grumbled at her for not holding the candle right.

"Where did you buy the steer, father?" she asked.

"Ask no questions and hear no lies." Then he added, "Carn't you see it's
a clear skin?"

She had a keen sense of humour, and the idea of a "'clear skin' steer"
would have amused her at any other time. She didn't smile now.

He turned the carcase ove