, Mr. Traill. You would have to assume
responsibility. Masterless dogs have become a serious nuisance in the
city."

"I could no' tak' responsibeelity. The dog is no' with me more than a
couple of hours out of the twenty-four. I understand that most of his
time is spent in the kirkyard, in weel-behaving, usefu' ways, but I
could no' be sure."

"But why have you fed him for so many years? Was his master a friend?"

"Nae, just a customer, your Honor; a simple auld shepherd who ate his
market-day dinner in my place. He aye had the bit dog with him, and
I was the last man to see the auld body before he went awa' to his
meeserable death in a Cowgate wynd. Bobby came to me, near starved,
to be fed, two days after his master's burial. I was tak'n by the wee
Highlander's leal spirit."

And that was all the landlord would say. He had no mind to wear his
heart upon his sleeve for this idle crowd to gape at.

After a moment the magistrate spoke warmly: "It appears, then, that the
payment of the license could not be accepted from you. Your humanity is
commendable, Mr. Traill, but technically you are in fault. The minimum
fine should be imposed and remitted."

At this utterly unlooked-for conclusion Mr. Traill seemed to gather
his lean shoulders together for a spring, and his gray eyes narrowed to
blades.

"With due respect to your Honor, I must tak' an appeal against sic a
deceesion, to the Lord Provost and a' the magistrates, and then to the
Court of Sessions."

"You would get scant attention, Mr. Traill. The higher judiciary have
more important business than reviewing dog cases. You would be laughed
out of court."

The dry tone stung him to instant retort. "And in gude company I'd
be. Fifty years syne Lord Erskine was laughed down in Parliament for
proposing to give legal protection to dumb animals. But we're getting a
bit more ceevilized."

"Tut, tut, Mr. Traill, you are making far too much of a small matter."

"It's no' a sma' matter to be entered in the records of the Burgh court
as a petty law-breaker. And if I continued to feed the dog I would be in
contempt of court."

The magistrate was beginning to feel badgered. "The fine carries the
interdiction with it, Mr. Traill, if you are asking for information."

"It was no' for information, but just to mak' plain my ain line of
conduct. I'm no' intending to abandon the dog. I am commended here for
my humanity, but the bit dog I must let starve for a technicality.