The driver's attention was riveted on
this strange uncouth figure, and, as the drove-road passed at no
great distance from the spot, he first called, but, receiving no
answer, he went up to the spot, and behold it was the above-
mentioned young man, who had hung himself in the hay rope that
was tying down the rick.
"This was accounted a great wonder; and everyone said, if the
Devil had not assisted him, it was impossible the thing could
have been done; for, in general, these ropes are so brittle, being
made of green hay, that they will scarcely bear to be bound over
the rick. And, the more to horrify the good people of this
neighbourhood, the driver said, when he first came in view, he
could almost give his oath that he saw two people busily engaged
at the hay-rick going round it and round it, and he thought they
were dressing it.
"If this asseveration approximated at all to truth, it makes this
evident at least, that the unfortunate young man had hanged
himself after the man with the lambs came in view. He was,
however, quite dead when he cut him down. He had fastened two
of the old hay-ropes at the bottom of the rick on one side (indeed,
they are all fastened so when first laid on) so that he had nothing
to do but to loosen two of the ends on the other side.
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