oral lapses--in
the matter of drink and, at one time, of fighting--occasionally took
place; but they were never known to be followed by any reference to the
disapproval of "the Shepherd." In some respects, indeed, Robert Dellanow
showed himself singularly deficient in moral graces. To the very end of
his life he was given to outbreaks of violent behaviour--as we have
seen; and not only would he show no signs of after-contrition for his
bad conduct, but would hint, at times, that his invisible companion had
been a partner, or at least an unreproving spectator, in what he had
done. But if he made a mistake in feeding the ewes or in doctoring the
lambs, Snarley would say, "I don't know what 'the Shepherd' will think
o' me. I'll hardly have the face to meet him next time." Once, on the
other hand, when there had been a heavy snowfall towards the end of
April, and desperate work in digging the flock out of a drift, he
described the success of the operations to Mrs. Abel by saying, "It were
a job as 'the Shepherd' himself might be proud on."

In the last period of his life, however, gleams of his earlier Methodism
occasionally shot through, and showed plainly enough of whom he was
thinking. As with most men of his craft, his old age was made grievous
by rheumatism; there were times, indeed, when every joint of his body
was in agony. All this Snarley bore with heroic fortitude, sticking to
his duties on days when he described himself as "a'most blind wi' pain."
We have seen what sustained him, and it was strengthened, of course, as
he told some of us, by the belief that "the Shepherd" had borne far
worse. When at last the rheumatism invaded the valves of his heart, and
every walk up the hill was an invitation to Death, the old man still
held on, unmoved by the doctor's warnings and the urgency of his
friends. The Perrymans implored him to desist, and promised a pension;
his wife threatened and wept; Mrs. Abel added her entreaties. To the
latter he replied, "Not till I drops! As long as 'the Shepherd' 's there
to meet me I know as I'm wanted. The lambs ha' got to be fed. Besides
'the Shepherd' and me has an understandin'. I'll never give in while I
can stand on my legs and hold my crook in my hand."

There is reason to believe that every phase of Snarley's connection with
Toller was laid before "the Shepherd." Each new development was subject
to his guidance. Shortly after Toller's disappearance, Snarley said to
Mrs. Abel, "Me