Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-12-20


quarter he was now threatened. wheth'
er by Coch Tai himself or by the farm.
er's gun, or by his own situation on the
side of the hill. The pause which sue
ceeded seemed unending. There he re-
! mained, with his feet close together
against the point Of rock. his clothing
saturated by the thawing snow at his
back and the now risen sun pouring
uDon him across the mountains on the
left.
At the end Of what seemed very
long period Of waiting. during which
the old woman had disappeared and
the whole valley seemed to he STEPPED
In q solemn, awful Stiffness. he heard
the voice Of Coch Tai above his head
once more.
PUT the rope around you. sir, and
come up carefully. You're wanted"
Mason saw by this time that n
strong rope, with moose at the end
was being lowered to him from above
He made himself fast to it and, with
the help of Coch Tai and Tom, regain
ed the path with some difficulty. He
found Coch Tai looking very grave
and the lad Tom in panic Of strange
fear. trembling from head to foot. and
unable to speak.
No sooner was the doctor on his feet
than Coch Tai drew him rapidly along
the path to a point where there was IN
easy descent into the valley below.
81 told you, sir, that you were want
ed" said he in grave voice, "but
don't know as was right. Look"
He pointed to spot below them
where, jammed between two sharp
rocks, there lay something lndistin'
gulshable, dark, motionless. at sight
Of which Mason started and turned
toward his companions. His startled
questioning look was answered by
their faces.
It was Mason who hurried forward
and who attempted the vain task OF
withdrawing the body from its horri'
BILE position. Tregaron had fallen into
the cleft between the hills at point
where two jagged rocks. rising up
from the bed Of a little mountain
stream. formed a narrow and fatal
cradle. into which nobody could fall
without being horribly mangled and
crushed by the terrible contact.
Into this CHASTITY deathbed David
Tregaron had fallen. and the first
glance which Mason gave when he
got. with some difficulty. close to the
spot showed him that death must have
been instantaneous. The broken gun
lay in pieces within a few feet Of the
body.
With much difficulty. since Tom, al
the first suggestion that he should lend
his aid. ran away up the path at full
speed and disappeared. Mason and
Merrick extricated the bruised body
from it's position and carried 1t up the
path. Although the farmer had been
short. spare man. the position IN which
his body had been found anG the steep
ness Of the ascent made the journey 8
long and tedious one.
When at last they got on the little
tableland on which the farmhouse
stood, Mason was seized with 8
strange sensation Of sick horror on
finding himself once more brought tc
the place which he had hoped never tc
see again.
The thought Of seeing Gwyn again
In these shocking circumstances made
him stop and hesitate and look at Coct
Tai with such an expression Of dis
tress that the peasant broke the ST.
lence In which they had done Their
work.
YOU'D better come in, SIR" said he
with an apt appreciation Of the doc
tors mood. You'd better by far heal
all about it, now you've come so far"
At that moment the lad Tom, still IL
the same state Of nervous excitement
as before, opened the farmhouse door
and came out. His eyes were red, as II
be had been crying, and the expression
of his whole face, instead Of being sui
len and downcast as usual, was wild
and disturbed. He came toward them
hurriedly, with q sidelong, shambling
walk, as If he was anxious to reach the
two live men without coming near the
dead man they bore
"Come round the back way" said he
Through the clubhouse"
Mason and Coch Tai. with theil
burden, followed him to the south side
Of the farmhouse, making their way
with difficulty over the bits Of ruined
masonry with which this part Of the
premises was especially incumbered.
Tom opened a little rough wooden
door which had been inserted in the
massive old wall which had once beer
that of the north aisle Of the church
This admitted them into the clubhouse
where a rough trestle had been already
put up for the reception Of the body
They placed the remains Of the farmer
upon this resting place. and then Mas
son and Coch Tai. still in silence. turn
ed toward the kitchen door. which Ton
held open for them.
But on the threshold Mason hesi
tated. Standing still within the gloon
of the outhouse. Of which he had al
ready such uncanny recollections, he
felt q dread seizing him Of the story
that he should have to hear. He was
oppressed by the knowledge that the
key to the mystery Of Monachlos
would within a few minutes be in his
keeping.
| Before him. sitting by the kitchen
| fire, sat Gwyn Tregaron. with her head
back against her high chair. her eyes
closed and an expression Of intense
agony on her pallid face. On the op