Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-01-01

Some evil had befallen his brother, and
this information seemed to point to
the direction in which he must look for
a solution of the mystery.
Although he was burning with I'M
patience to prosecute his inquiries, 1t
was too late to do so that night. Al
ready the little town was asleep; the
lights in the windows were for the
most part extinguished; there was
hardly football in the street.
Reginald went up to his room, but
he could not sleep. This rough, red
headed fellow who had come to the
hotel Immediately after Granville's de-
parture from 1t could be, of course, no
other than the wild. uncouth son Of
the mountains" of whom his brother
had written in his last letter. To find
this man, therefore, was plainly the
first thing to be done.
On the following morning the waiter
who had given him the information
came up to Reginald and told him that
he had made inquiries in the town that
morning and learned that the name
Of the redheaded man was unknown.
but that he was called "COch Tai as
a nickname in the sheep market at
Aberayron.
"And have you been able to find out
where he lives?' asked Reginald.
Eyes. sir. It's up in the hills yon-
der, over by Llyn Foel. He's in the
employ of farmer yonder, Mr.. Ire
garon of Monachlog farm"
as that far OFF,
"It's a matter of five or six miles.
look you. up along the valley. But 1t
would be hard for you to find without
q guide, sir. being right up among the
hills"
"Well, you can find me guide. can't
you?"
"Oh. yes, sir! You don't think Of
going today, sir, do you?'
Certainly I do. Without mo-
ment's delay"
"Well. sir. it's nasty day for such
walk. We shall have snow before
midday by the look Of the sky. and
when the snow comes on it's hard
work for them that knows the paths
we'll to find their way among the hills"
"Well. hard work or not. | have to
go. And if you can't find me a guide
I must 20 without one"
Reginald was eating ham and eggs,
but with very little appetite. His anH-
iety and feverish eagerness to be on
the road made breakfast Il hard task.
"All right. sir III iiId you a guide,
sir" said the waiter.
And then he shu!iled away with ap-
parent haste until he reached the door
of the coffee room, when he turned
slowly and hesitatingly and came back
again. His tone had become mysteri-
Gus.
81 think perhaps l ought to tell you,
sir, something they told me this morn
ing when | was asking about the
young man COch Tai"
"Well, what was it?'
81 was told, sir that he's not been
seen SO much in the town lately-not
since the beginning of last month, in
fact. He's been i'll, they think; don't
look the same man, sir, when he does
come. as he used to look"
"Thank you. Now see about getting
me the guide, there's good fellow"
said Reginald, as he jumped from his
seat and began to button up his coat.
"Aly boots, please"
you've quite made up your mind to
go, SIR"
quite"
The matter Of obtaining guide into
the hills proved, however, to be less
easy than Reginald had supposed. He
had to wait so long, In fact, before the
waiter, who had undertaken the search
for one, returned to the inn that ut
last Reginald, unable to control his i'm
patience any longer, told the landlord
to send the guide after him and start
ed on his journey into the hills alone.
The flakes Of snow had already be-
gun to flutter down, and he was
strongly advised to give up his expedi-
ton until the following day. He would
not, however, hear of any delay.
He started at brisk pace, quite un-
disturbed by any thought that his jour-
ney might be one Of difficulty or even
danger. The lightly falling snow
threw q soft veil over the landscape,
softening the rugged outline of the
hills toward which he was going and
filling up the ruts in the road.
He had gone some distance, walking
quickly and deeply preoccupied with
his gloomy thoughts concerning his
brothers fate, when it occurred to him
to wonder why the guide was such a
long time In coming.
At the same moment the thought
came into his mind. with an ugly per-