Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-01

4 saw good chance to shoot you and
take the beautiful horse. Will you
promise not to ride off nor to draw a
pistol on me If come to talk with
you?"
Il WILL" said l, and he dropped the
long carbine he was carrying into the
hollow of his arm at once. flung on
my coat again and drew the left-hand
rein.
Where are you going?"
Back to Nant-y- Bryn," said l.
Why" asked Ieuan, "and why are
you going away?"
left both questions unanswered. The
first question was already one to which
was seeking an answer In my own
mind, and could not give 1t. To what
end should return? Would Sir Ar
thur yield up the letter or confess to
any knowledge OF 1T? knew 1t was
i foolishness to expect any such thing,
and 1 halted again in perplexity.
You have quarreled with him." said
ieuan, sharply; you are leaving him
IN anger. You are finding that he is a
bad man."
i nodded, but said nothing.
what has he taken from you 2" next
demanded leuan. 1t was clear that he
had been watching me since halted,
and his keen wits We're threading my
actions on the right string.
"A letter." said I, "a letter which I
would have given all the world that
no one should have seem"
And can he make mischief with
that letter in Nant-y-B ryn?"
NO." l replied, but he can nut II in
the right hands, fear"
And where are they?"
In Worcestershire"
Then he can do nothing" Ieuan
slapped the stock of his piece triumph-
a ay' and started once more, as IL
from dream, and began to rub the
mist from my wits His questions had
been SO jumping with my thoughts that
mad answered them half unconscious-
~, and now began to bethink myself
where l stood. Here was the fellow
whose throat I had done my best to
cut last night. putting query after
query to me like a father-confesso
ana was giving docile answers. 1 ran
my mind swiftly over what had been
said and found nothing further to re-
proach myself with. then looked for
the first time with clear-seeine ewes
at Ieuan Gwyllt He stood with one
hand leaning on the mares shoulder.
MS keen, fierce eyes riveted on INV
race, ana reading my thoughts-so
reads an open page.
GU gave me chance said he.
when that woman Jumped on my
shoulders. l gave you a chance last
night, and we were level. But yo,,
stood by old Megan this morning. and
am thinking of that now. 1t has held
my finger from the trigger But never
,nind; let US consider this letter. Can
ne use 1t to make Il profit to himself?"
Ay, that he can" said l, as my mind
began to sum up things clearly for the
ilrst time. l had been so full of
thoughts of Enid Vaughan, so occupied
With the hustle of things of late, that /
mad never fairly set myself to working
out the meaning of my uncle's conduct
now saw with what hopes he had
launched that bullet at me- Had 1t
peen an inch or so lower in Its flight
surely an ounce of lead had never been
put to greater interest, for 1t would
have meant his accession to the fair
estate he coveted SO eagerly; 1t would
nave meant safety, wealth. great
position. and all secured SO easily by
the death of one already prescribed
already fugitive. Who was there to
inquire or to care where or how i had
come to my end? And then his peace
to be made with the authorities by de.
liyering up my hapless friends. With
what patient care must he have search
ed my clothes while slept, for had
no other coat, and wore 1t constantly
by day.
And the letter is Of no use to him in
Nant-y-Bryn?" went on Ieuan.
None said I.
He must send 1t or carry 1t to soma
one else?'
He must
And will 1t be best for him to do that
soon?'
perceived Ieuan's drift, and thought
for a moment. Had he already made
use of the information? i felt sure he
had not. ] had gained enough knowl-
edge of the household to be pretty GER
tain that no one had been despatched
since my arrival, and then his fear of
reducing the garrison had made in my
favor so far. Now his fears would be
greatly relieved, and the news was not
of q nature to keep. My friends might
shift their quarters.
1T WILL" said ].
What will the letter do for him?"
persisted Ieuan.
1T will furnish him very likely with
means to remove from this country"
said l. and place him in safety, far
from the Red Men OF the Dusk
1euan ground his teeth wickedly, and
tugged at his great red beard.
He cannot send 1t by bird in the
sky. said leuan, land will make that
the only safe way to him"
Here was an unexpected ally, and
one of whose power / had no doubt
leuan stared thoughtfully along the
thread of road running white in the
moonlight across the swart moor, for
the land on either side was wet peat
bog, where the snow did not lie.
The moon will not be much higher
before we have that ssaper'' he said at
last.
Surprising he comes this way?. /
returned, following his unsuoken argu-
ment.
~ have been thinking of that" said
Ia, II 1,<
We shall be doing well IL we go to place
ourselves on the way that he must
come"
was willing enough, and Whitesock
wheeled round and trotted directly
back, Ieuan Looping at my side, and talk
ing easily as he ran. e
VIII 1t be Owain who goes?" he
asked
Never" said 1; never in the
world"
II am glad of that" said Ieuan; but
whoever will go will start on tall
horse for 80 long a journey as that,
and not an mountain pony. Now
for such a horse there is but one road
from Nant-yBryn."
Then we must be on It," said /.
We are too far on 1t, replied Ieuan;
that is why we are going back. Two
miles from the house another little way
turns off, and he could go up that"
l remembered it as he spoke 1t was
the way along which I myself had
marched when first approached Nant-
y-Bryn, and the track we were now fol-
lowing was the one by which Owain
had ridden to meet me.
We were soon near the point at which
the side road branched away, and
1euan lifted his finger for me to draw
rein.
The marks Of her feet going away
Will draw him on said he "hllt mot