Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-01-08
CHAPTER Nv.
A CLEw TO THE MISSING ONE.


sharply and threw all the force Of his
lungs into a shout which echoed in the
hills. There was pause, and his heart
began to fail him again, for fear that
he should get no reply.
Then above MIN on his left hand he
heard mans voice calling:
''BellO! Hellov'
He made out the direction whence
the voice proceeded, point almost i'm
mediately above him. He paused again,
but hearing nothing more, and fearing
that this chance Of meeting fellow
human being might escape him, he
leaped across the little stream and be-
gan vigorous attempt to ascend the
hill.
This was comparatively easy, for in
stead Of the stones and crags Of the
last mountain he had climbed his feet
reached down through the snow to a
spongy surface Of dry heather, slippery
in places, but less treacherous than the
rolling stones. He shouted once more
on his way up, but got no reply.
Resolved not to let this opportunity
Of human companionship escape him,
Mason then went on quietly and as
quickly as he could, without uttering
any further sound. From the tones Of
the voice he heard-tones of acute suf
fering-he judged that the man who
had uttered them had come to grief on
his way among the mountains and had
wondered whether It was Coch Tai
who, in escaping from himself. had
met with an accident.
AS usual among the mountains, Mas
son climbed for a much longer time
than he had bargained for before he
came to any thing but little tablelands.
with more hills beyond. Again and
again he thought he must have reach
ed the very summit, and again and
again on arriving at what he had sup
posed to be the last point he found an
other point to be scaled beyond.
Then at last he found himself face
to face with man.
Not the redheaded peasant, but n
creature as unlike him as possible-a
suiaD, 1.-THE. black eyed man. with a
keen, hawklike face and wiry little
frame, a real son Of the Silures, who
stopped short in his hurried walk up
and down the ledge Of the mountain
he occupied and glared at the intruder
with fierce eyes.
"Who are you Who are you? What
are you doing hereY he asked In good
English, but with the sharp Welsh
accent very strongly marked.
Although his words contained no
welcome, and although the look In his
face was as uncompromising as his
words themselves, Mason was so
much relieved by the sight Of another
human being that he answered buoy.
antly enough:
IL am a stranger in these parts. I've
lost my way. should be thankful for
a nights shelter. can't get back to
Trecoed tonight"
AS he spoke Reginald Mason exam
lned the mans features. in which he
found traces Of no mean intelligence,
and his dress, by which he guessed
him to be small farmer, a man OF
higher class than Coch Tai.
And in the pause which succeeded
his words Mason noted also that he
had reached the very point toward
which he had meant to make bis way,
for on a mountain ledge little higher
than the one ON which they stood he
saw the gray walls which had attract
ed him from the neighboring mountain
and u ruined arch. lofty and pointed,
which had once been the east window
Of an abbey church.
Even In the first brief glance through
the still falling snow and In the gath
ering darkness he discerned that q
stately Gothic doorway had been dill
ed In to fit a mean little painted door
and that a portion Of what had once
been a handsome pile of monastic
buildings had been roughly rooted In
for modern occupation. To the left
Of the door q window had been insert
ed into the solid masonry, and through
this window a feeble light glimmered
so family that 1t threw no patch OF
warning light on the snow outside.
At the corner of the building large
snowdrift had already collected. and
this was gradually extending, as the
snow still fell and the wind still blew.
In the direction Of the window.
The farmer. after long pause. an
swered Masson's request ungraciously
enough. His manner was short, sharp,
surly. But 1t was less offensive than
defensive. Mason thought. betraying
rs 1t did mind Ill at ease.
Back to TrecOed! What made you
leave Trecoed on such day as this"
he said gruffiy. while his quick eyes
looked searchingly not at Reginald. but
down into the valley from which he
had just climbed. "You must have
been out of your senses. man. to try.
And across the hills tool"
He seemed less pitiful for the stran-
gers distress than scornful of his
folly.
"Yes, It was a rash thing to do.
was to have had guide, but ] started
without him."
The other man laughed mirthlessly.
contemptuously.
"Oh. aye; the guide knew better
what he was about than you did"
"You won't refuse me a nights shel.
terp
The man shook his head.
We've no shelter to give" he said
shortly.
81 can pay for 1t we'll"
The unwilling host looked at him
with q little more interest but he
again shook his head.
Its not possible just now" said he
In the same defiant. wholly surly tone.
There's illness In the house and no
time for waiting on strangers with my
daughter. my poor girl. lying at deaths
door,"
As he uttered these words the ex-
preston of his face underwent q sud-
den change. and a look Of unutterable
anguish shone In his black eyes.
"IllY said Mason. "Your daughter
Ill? Perhaps can be Of some use
then. I'm doctor"
The man, who had turned away as
II to hide his own distress, sprang up
on him with . wild look Of Joy In bis
sensitive face. He seized Mason BY
the arm with the nervous grip OF Q