Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 1).djvu/131

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THE BLACK DWARF.
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loured hair, and reddish eyebrows, from under which looked forth his sharp grey eyes, completed the inauspicious outline of the horseman's physiognomy. He had pistols in his holsters, and another pair peeped from his belt, though he had taken some pains to conceal them by buttoning his doublet. He wore a rusted steel headpiece, a buff jacket of rather an antique cast, gloves, of which that for the right hand was covered with small scales of iron, like an ancient gauntlet; and a long broadsword completed his equipage.

"So," said the Dwarf, "rapine and murder once more on horseback."

"On horseback?" said the bandit; "aye, aye, Elshie, your leech-craft has set me on the bonny bay again."

"And all those promises of amendment which you made during your illness, forgotten?" continued Elshender.

"All clear away with the water-saps and panada," returned the unabashed convalescent. "Ye ken, Elshie, for they