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

be too ventufeS0me ana hot 10 ueSlH
exploring unknown tracts Of country
in weather so unpropitious.
He got one more letter, dated Sept.
80, acknowledging his note Of warning
and announcing that Granville had
put off his expedition in Difference to
his brothers advice. The weather
having now changed for the better,
however, he intended to proceed with
out further delay.
He wrote in robust and cheerful
tone. as if in the highest spirits over
his proposed excursion. He had got
hold of an odd creature, he said; 4
wild, uncouth, redheaded son of the
mountains, who was going to act as
his guide and to coach him up in all
the old Welsh tales and superstitions.
And then his brother heard no more.
At the end of one week Reginald was
curious: at the end of the second i'm
patient; after the lapse Of third he
was anxious and worried. The
weather had grown bitterly cold >for
the time of year. and already reports
had reached London Of snow in the
mountains of Scotland and of heavy
rains in Wales. He wrote half dozen
letters to Aberystwith. addressed to
his brother, to the proprietor of the ho-
tel where he had staid, to the chief Of
police. But all without much result
The proprietor of the hotel wrote that
the Rev. Granville MassOn had left the
hotel on the morning of Oct. and had
taken the train with the intention. as
he stated, of alighting at Trecoed and
of making tour on foot from that
town among the points of interest in
the neighborhood.
The chief of police wrote that he had
heard of no accident Detailing any
traveller recently in the country. And
the letters Reginald had addressed to
his brother were returned to him.
Thoroughly alarmed, he determined
to 90 down into Wales himself and to
make inquiries, starting from the
lOWll Vi lItNOtt. II "ac hNst
the middle of November when he ar
rived ut the place and made direct for
the principal inn. Here, at the very
outset of his researches, he came upon
the track of his brother. The inn
keeper nodded intelligently at the first
questions put by Reginald Mason.
"A young clergyman. tall. thin. gray
eyes and brown hair? Yes. sir; he
was here for one night about five
weeks ago. But | can give you the
exact date by looking at my books,
and | can show you his portmanteau.
suppose | am right. sir in thinking
you are his brother?'
"Why, what made you think that?
We are not supposed to be at all
alike
Not in face. sir. but in voice. 1
could have recognized the voice any
where. and that in spite of the way Of
speaking young clergymen always
have"
"And can you tell me where he went
to from here"
"He was going to explore the coun-
try and make his way down gradually
to the south by the Black mountains
and the Meath valley and along the
Chepstow and then up the Wye and
30 round here again to fetch his lug
gage"
HE meant to come back here?"
"Well. sir. he said he might and he
might not. If he didn't come, he was
to let me know where to send his lug
gage on"
And what was the date of that?"
asked Reginald Mason, whose anx-
iety was not much allayed by this in.
telligence.
The landlord was looking through
his book.
at was on the Sd Of October that
he went away"
"Was he alone?"
"He was alone when he left the
house, but l had warned him not to
cross the mountains without guide
and he said he had engaged one."
"Ah! We can find him out, l sup
pose, without any trouble"
But the landlord shook his head du
biously.
II don't know about that, sir. II
wasn't one of our regular men, know
that. 1t was some one he had met be-
fore he came here, near the Devils
bridge, understand, who had told him
lot of the local stories and legends
and had arranged to take him across
by Llyn Foel to Llandu.'
"Did he mention his nameY
"well, he may have done, sir, but II
SO I've forgotten it."
At this point Of the conversation q
man whose composite style of clothing
suggested that, in the of season, he
filed various functions at the Inn,
edged near enough to the speakers to
show that he wished to join In the con-
yersatiOn.
Reginald Mason turned to look al
him. and the man saluted.
"Beg pardon, sir" said he In strong
Welsh accent, "but was you speaking
] of the clerical gentleman who LETT