Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-01-26
CHAPTER NNlN.

a NAhhoN ~ Al T. Z ls''HA - -
The morning light was growing
stronger every minute a. Mason. after
bidding young Thomas g"udhy, started
on his walk back To Trecued.
Presently he became conscious OF a
feeling that he was being followed.
lie turned abruptly. hut he had just
rounded "A bare huWldrr, aud he could
see no more The fancy was 50 strong
upon him. however that he rctrar'd
his steps and looked round the pro.
truding rock AT the path he had
trayersed There were fuutmarks
which he had not previously noticed
ascending the path TO the top Of the
rock but still he saw no one.
There descended upon his spirits
with Irresistible force II belief that hc
dangers of Moudchlug after all. Go
which way he would. he could not Ect
beyond the lnAligu influence which he
felt To eluauatc from that uHcauu!
household. He WAS Swallowed. even
now that he had left the hou>r 10y an
evil influence, impalablr, but unmis-
taxable. which seemed tu hang Ike a
Veil over him, shutting him in. closing
him in. He began to feel a dreadful
doubt whether he ever should get out
of this valley, whether Lee should not
share the mysterious, unknown fate
which had oycrtuhen his unhappy
brother.
With eyes and ears on the alert. with
his teeth fast set, with a savage dies
pcratiou Al his heart, he pressed for
ward, bent on reaching once more the
open ground in the valley below. Where
at least no ambush could be laid for
him.
The path which he was following, on
I the other hand, now turned to The
{ right, and If he pursued it he wuuid
/ have to take a winding course, with
/ more fatigue and loss Of time. for ht
/ could see that ii r"appcarcd Oh the hill
/ opposite to him. the very hill on which
/ the old monastery stood. He felt that
/ he did not want TO 90 SO near the pla -
again. In spite Of his tenderness for
] NV II iii' HL-1iA VI NV / h'li''' u =
walls filled him with very draui,,
horror and sense Of danger.
He resolved. therefore, to attempt
the difficult task of leaving the path at
this point and scramhlug down Tia,
rugged hillside. which was ut this point
both rough and precipitouS, into IL,
valley below
He had scarcely taken the first st"T
downward. however. when he heard q
low suppressed cry OF warning from
above, and looking up saw the head OF
CoCh Tai looking at him from bchiuc
a jutting point of rock.
Take care" said the peasant, TAX,
care"
He had hardly uttered these word,
when Mason. who had already disCoy
cred the need of great caution, as Ii,
found himself slipping down the snow!
surface with rapidity he had not cal
culated upon, saw that Coch Tai wa
not looking down at him. but that h'
had got his eyes fixed intently upon
figure on the side OF the opposite hill.
In his desperate situation. for he wa
slipping every moment faster down I'll,
hill Mason had no chance of taking
very accurate survey. But he had al
unpleasant sense of being surrounded
hemmed in by enemies. which was con
siderahly Increased when his deScen
was suddenly stopped by juttini
piece of rock, by his perceving tina
the figure which had attracted Cocl
Tails attention was that of old Mrs
Tregaron who in her cap and shaw
site hill on the outskirts of a smal
patch OF frs and leatiess bushes.
She WAS watching him furtvely
with her lean neck outStretchcd, an
one skinny, dark hand pointing to som
spot little way behind her.
Mason had scarcely had time to rec
ognize her and to wonder what cor
nection her appearance had with tina
Of Coch Tai. when he heard the repor
Of gun, saw flash from out of tn
trees behind the old woman and hear
a bullet whistle past him.
lie next instant lHe Olu WOMB
sprang up with cry, and another fl
ure rushed out from among the trees.
1t was David Tregaron, gun in han,
What followed happened so rapid
that it was like confused dream.
1t was not until he thought it all Owe
afterward that Mason understood til
exact sequence Of events.
Then he knew that the gun was ley
eled once more; that the old woma
met her son; that the weapon went O.
discharging itself harmlcsSly in I'll
air, and that the next moment I'll
farmer slipped and, with a cry, fel
gun in hand, down the side of the hi
out Of Masson's sight into the cleft b.
low between the hills.
And the old woman claSped he
hands and, breaking the hideous, aV
full silence which followed with Il
. accents Of her quavering, shrill vote
cried, with thankfulness which mae
Mason shudder;
"Thnnk God. It's over. Thank Go,
Oh, thank God"
fro BE CONTINUED