Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-02-14


had become of poor Granville? Should
he not have made still greater efforts
than he had done to discover the truth
Of his brothers disappearance?
And again, ought he not to have In
sisted more strongly than he had done
upon his wish to make Gwyn his wife?
What would become of the girl, the
noble girl, who had so unselfishly
watched over him and sacrificed her
own desires of happiness to her belief
that she was acting for the best for
him in refusing his offer? He knew
that she was miserable in her life; that
there We're terrible secrets of the
strange household to which she be-
longed which must lie with tenfold
weight upon her own innocent soul.
These considerations caused his heart
to bleed and his steps to lag, until by
the time he reached the bottom of the
hill and had to face the plunge into
the snow of the valley he had almost
made up his mind to turn back again
and to approach her with more reso-
lutte front and with a more impassioned
prayer that she would become his wife.
The only consideration which formed
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 be so much stronger against
Coch Tai, the guide, than against the
old woman and her grandson that this
suspicion could scarcely be considered
strong enough to influence his action.
And this was especially the case in
had made no suggestion, either by
word or manner, of there being such
an obstacle as this between them.
So when he reached the bottom of
the hill Mason turned to retrace his
footsteps, after having glanced down
the valley and up again and seen no
sign of another human being. The
way to Trecoed did indeed seem to be
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 so 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 ut each other for
moment in silence. Tregaron had been
taken by surprise. for there was on his
face scowl which 1t had not worn
on their last meeting and which he in
stantly tried to exchange for smile.
disturbed to find that he had been fol-
lowed. The farmer spoke first.
81 thought" he began. that you
mightn't 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 fancied he heard
walning-a kind of threat
THANK YOU" said he coldly. II can
find my way about better than YOU
think"
Even il he had wished to go forward
on his way to Trecoed he saw that to
carry out such Il plan in the face of
what would be determined opposition
was impossible. Tregaron was armed
with a huge ax for one thing, and in
his position above the other to aim II
fatal blow at the doctor below would
have been easy enough, and in the sec
ond place If Mason had attempted to
escape and to trust to his heels he
would have had no chance against the
man who knew every chink and cram
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. and then dropped few steps
behind.
1--WE are getting on nicely, SIR" went
on Tregaron in as buoyant tone as
usual with the snow clearing. If
you'll come up with me l can show
you just what we've got to do. The
last Of tile sleep Will be reached by to-
morio1 il things so on as well as
this
He took Mason across the little ta-
bleland in different direction from
that b. which he had come. instead