Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-03-05
HEFARM - .7..z
~'N~ x Of
THEH|LLS "'''EA''
Copyright 1899, by Florence Warden.
BY FLORENCE WARDEN.

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long period Of waiting. during when
the old woman had disappeared and
the whole valley seemed to be stepped
III a 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 a
strong rope, with moose at the end,
was being lowered to him from above.
He made himself fast to 1t 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 a panic Of strange
fear, trembling from head to foot, and
unable to speak.
than Coch Tai drew him rapidly along
the path to point where there was an
easy descent into the valley below.
81 told you, sir, that you were want
GU, Sdlu hS Ill q 6ioNC pue
don't know as was right. Look"
He pointed to spot below them,
where, jammed between two sharp
rocks, there lay something indistin-
guishable. dark, motionless, at sight
Of which Mason started and turned
toward his companions. His startled,
questioning look was answered by
their faces.
1t 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 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 ghastly 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 few feet Of the
body.
With much difficulty. since Tom, at
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 its position and carried it up the
path. Although the farmer had been a
short, spare man. the position in which
his body had been found and the steep
ness of the ascent made the journey
long and tedious one.
When at last they got on the little
tableland on which the farmhouse
stood, Mason was seized with a
strange sensation Of sick horror on
finding himself once more brought to
the place which he had hoped never to
see again.
The thought Of seeing Gwyn again
in these shocking circumstances made
him stop and hesitate and look at Coch
Tai with such an expression Of dis
tress that the peasant broke the 81
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 hear
all about it, now you've come 80 far!'
At that moment the lad Tom. still In
the same state Of nervous excitement
as before. opened the farmhouse door
and came out His eyes were red, as If
he 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 sidelong shambling
walk, as II 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 Outhouse."
Mason and Coch Tai, with their
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 little rough wooden
door which had been inserted in the
massive old wall which had once been
that of the north aisle Of the church.
This admitted them into the outhouse,
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 Tom
held open for them.
But on the threshold Mason hesi-
tated. Standing still within the gloom
of the outhouse, Of which he had al
ready such uncanny recollections, he
felt 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 Monachlog
would within q 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-
posite side Of the hearth stood the old
woman. leaning upon her stick and
pointing with a lean finger to the door
Of the clubhouse.
Tom, who was standing just inside
the kitchen door, made gesture to
Mason Of encouragement, of invita-
ton to enter, and as he did so he ut
tered In q hoarse whisper these signif-
cant words: