The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-22
CHGPTER VI.
OWEN DAVIES At HOME.

owen Dawes trafnpeu along the cllff with &
light heart. This wild lashing of the rain ana
the roaring of the wind did not disturb him
in the least They were disagreeable, but he
accepted them Us he accepted existence and
all its vanities, without remark or mental
comment. He was by nature and education
of a strongly and simply religious mind, as
he was in body powerful, placid and healthy
to an exasperating degree. 1t may be said
that it is easy to be religious and placid on
ten thousand year, but Owen Davies had
not always owned ten thousand a year and
one of the most romantic and beautiful seats
in Wales. From the time he was II, when
his mothers death left him an orphan, till be
reached the age of 80, some six years from
the date of the opening of this history, heled
about as hard life as fate could find for any
man.
Some people may have heard of sugar dro-
gers, or sailing brigs, which trade between
this country and the West Indies, carrying
coal outward and sugar home On board of
one of these Owen Davies worked in various
capacities for thirteen long years. He did his
drudgery well; but no made no friends, and
always remained the same shy, silent and
pious man. Then suddenly relation died
without will, and he found himself heir at
law to Bryngelly castle and all its revenues.
He expressed no surprise, and to all appear
ance felt none. He had never seen his rela-
ton, and never dreamed of this romantic
devolution of great estates upon himself
But he accepted the good fortune as he had
accepted the ill, and said nothing The only
people who knew him were his shipmates,
and they could scarcely be held to know
him. They were acquainted with his appear
ance and the sound of his voice and his meth
cd of doing his duty. Also, they wero aware
that, although he never spoke of religion, he
read a chapter of the Bible every evening,
and went to church whenever they touched
at port. But of his internal self they were
in total ignorance. This did not, however,
prevent them from prophesying that Davies
was deep one" who, now that he had got
the cash, would ''blue it, in way which
would astonish them
But Davies did not blue it. The news of
his good fortune reached him just as the brig
on which he was going tc sail as first mate
was taking in her cargo for the West Indies
He had signed his contract for the voyage,
and, to the utter establishment of the lawyer
who managed the estates, he announced that
he should carry it out. In vain did the man
of affairs point out to his client that with the
help of q check of e100 he could arrange the
matter for him in ten minutes
Mr.. Davies merely replied that the prop
erty could wait; he should go the voyage
and then retire. The lawyer held I'D his
hands, and then suddenly remembered that
there are women in the West Indies, as in
other parts of the world Doubtless his
queer client had an object in his VOYAGE. AS
q of
Owen Davies had never interchanged ten
der word with woman in his life; he was q
creature of routine, and it was part of his
routine to carry out his agreements to the
letter. That was all.
As a last resource the lawyer suggested
that Mr.. Davies should mako will
81 do not think it necessary" was the slow
and measured answer. '.The property has
come to me by chance. If l die it may as
well go to somebody else in the same way"
i The lawyer stared. Every weIl,n he said
lit is against my advice, but you must please
yourself Do you want any moneys"
Owen thought for q moment 'sYes,n he
said, II think / should like to have ter
pounds. They are building cathedral out
there, and l want to subscribe to it'
The lawyer gave him the ten pounds with
out word; he was struck speeches, and il
this condition he remained for some minute
after the door had closed behind his client
Then he sprang up with single ejaculation
''Madl mad like his great-uncle"
But Owen Davies was not in the least mad
at any rate not then; he was only a creatur,
of habit In due course, his agreement full
filled, he sailed his brig home from the Yves
Indies, for the captain was drowned in gale
Then he took a second class ticket to Brvn
gelly, where he had never been in his life be
fore, and asked bis way TO the castle. HI
was told to so to the seashore and he woult
sec it. He did so, leaving his sea chest be
hind him, and there, about two hundre,
J PAGES from the land and built upon solita7,
mountain of rock, measuring half mile O
so round the base, he perceived q vast me
di9val pile of fortified buildings with tur
rets, towering three hundred feet into the al
and edged with fire by the setting sun.
He gazed on it with perplexity. Could i
, be that this enormous island fortress Belongs
to him, and if SO, how on earth did one ee
to it? For some little time he walked up an,
down wondering, too shy to go to the villag
for information. Meanwhile, though he di,
not notice her, well grown girl of abou
Is, remarkable for her great gray eve
and the promise of her beauty, was, no
without amusement watching his eyiden
S perplexity from q seat beneath rock A
last she rose, and, with the confidence O
4 bold To- walked straight up to him