Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-01-19

there We're tFffiiir S'fItlN hl liit
strange housth"ld TO which she he
longed which must lie with Ienfold
weight upon her own innocent soul
These conSidtra tions caused his heart
To bleed and his steps TO lag. until 10y
the time he reached the bottom of the
hill aud had to face the plunge into
the snow Of the valley he had almost
made M his mind TO turn back again
and Ia approach her with more reso-
lutte front and with a more impassioned
prayer ihaI she would become his wife.
The only consideration which formed
n check upon this inclination was the
vague belief he had that her own
brother and grandmother had been IN
some way connected with his brothers
death But then again appearances
seemed To he 50 much stronger against
Coch Tai. the guide than against the
old woman and her grandson that TINS
suspicion could scarcely be considered
strong enough To influence his action.
And this was especially the case IN
view of the fact that Gwyn herself
had made no suggestion, either 10y
word or manner. Of there being such
an obstacle as this between them.
So when he reached the bottom or
the hill Mason turned 10 retrace his
| footsteps. after having glanced down
/ the valley and up again and seen no
/ sign OF another human being. The
way To Trrcned did indeed seem To he
/ open to him. for he could see the path
on the opposite hill which the sliding
masses of snow had left free. Even
/ with this prospect Of escape in sight
the thought Of Gwyn made him turn
/ back.
! And as he did 30 his heart gave an
/ odd leap within him. for standing
few feet from him and evidently on
/ his track. WAS David Tregaron, the
farmer,
The men looked at each other for n
moment IN silence. Tregaron had been
taken 10y surprise. for there was on his
face scur which II had not worn
on their last meeting and which he In
stantly tried To exchange for smile.
Mason. on his side. was considerably
. uISluIItl ~ ilIIb tllbN III tI'l'i pSth iOi
lowed The farmer spoke first.
Il thought" he began. that YOU
mlghtnt be able to lind your way up
again So easy as You had thought TO.
sir. It's still slippery up here and not
altogether safe
Mason heard or fancicd he heard
in these words something more than n
waruing--a kind OF threat
Thank YOU" said he coldly. Il can
find my way about better than you
think"
Even If he had wished to go forward
carry out such n plan in the face OF
what would be determined opposition
was impossible. Tregaron was armed
with n huge aX for one thing and In
his position above the other TO aim q
fatal blow at the doctor below woulC
have been easy enough. and in the sec
Ond place If Mason had attempted II
escape and to trust to his heels ht
would have had no chance against The
man who knew every chink and Gran
ny Of the hills and Of the valley be
tween.
He at once therefore, began to reas
Cend the hill, while the farmer waited
for him. aud then dropped Il few step
behind.
We are getting on nicely. sir" wen
on Tregnron in as buoyant tone a
usual with the snow clearing.
you'll come up with me | can SHOW
you just what we've got to do. Thu
last of the sheep will be reached by to
morrow. if things go on as Well a
this
He took Mason across the little tn
bleland in different direction from
that by which he had come. instea.
Of going near the farmhouse, the,
went round by the south side of tn
old church walls and up the smootl
, slope where Mason had already beef
, with Coch Tai.
i, Mason. who for the first time ha,
, begun to feel some mistrust of I'll
farmers motives toward him, too
care to keep by his side and not to al
low Tregaron to drop behind him. II
remembered the cleft in the hillsid
toward which they were bending thei
steps. and he resolved to be on hi
guard against accidents at that peri
y GUS point AS, by good fortune, h
, knew exactly when to look out for II
, he managed to drop behind In his tur
as the farmer and he reached the opcI
ing, and just as he took the backwar
, step he was shocked to see on Tregal
u. on's face q look which betrayed hos
' tile feeling In every line of the eagl
face.
At that moment Mason felt a sic
horror at his position. How was h,
unused to the mountain life. to tn
steep paths and unexpected precipice
and chasms. to hope to escape from th
hardy hill born farmer, whom he no'
knew to be his enemy?
"a nasty place, this" said Mason q
last, with glance down toward tn
chasm they had reached.
The farmer. who was step In &C
vance, laughed shortly.
you've been here before, thenT
"Yes."
Tregaron wheeled around briskly.
"And have you been up the rock I
Pen uchaf." asked he abruptly, ''thi
looks straight down into Llyn Foei?"
"No. This is as far as I've been"
"Come along, then. I'll show you
sight you won't forget"
If Mason could have declined tn
invitation. he would have done so, b,
the tone in which it was given made
rather a command than a request, s
he went on. keeping to the farmer
4 side or q step or two behind and eva,
q Ing all attempts. real or fancied, on tt
h farmers part to make him go first.
They branched off sharply to tt
RIGHT walk inc alonrslda the chm Sm III