Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-09-26

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of II last night after I had seer you,
and / scarce knew what to do. Now
she comes with other news, and /
dare not let you remain ignorant OF
your danger. These people would"
She stopped. and I nodded my head.
Il understand" I replied; let him
but lift his finger and they"
/ stopped in turn, and she drew a
long breath and said, yes" softly.
Il could not let them mishandle the
unfortunate woman at any rate" said
/. II do not blame myself there"
"Oh, no, not" said she; poor, UNI
happy creature. To kill her child be-
fell silent.
And now" said ], this fellows
broken head will crown my enormi.
ties" and l told her OF my recent adj
venture in the stable.
Her face clouded, and she opened
and shut her hands nerVously.
They think so little of taking 4
dreadful revenge for a punishment,
even when they are In the wrong" she
said.
Il nave seen enough of them to be
sure of that" / returned, and there is
nothing for 1t but boot and saddle"
The door opened again and Owain
came In. He now regajned control
over himself, but his countenance was
still flushed and bore traces. in the di-
lated eye and %quivering nostril, OF the
recent quarrel in which he had been
engaged. He came straight up to us
and leaned his arm upon the huge
oaken beam which ran across the head
OF the fireplace.
Master He~athocte," he said, have
you any other place where you could
lie IL. safety? Because | must tell you
plainly, for the friendship l bear you,
that you are not safe here"
"Owain!" cried his sister, in aston
ishment at this confirmation.
1t is too true, Enid he said, mis-
taking her surprise. Il would a thou
sand times that there was no need to
give this warning, but there is"
The door opened once more, n Sir
Arthur Vaughan came in with soft
step and downcast eye. He shufled
up to the fire where We stood, and
spread his thin hands to the blaze.
His idea, clearly enough. was to be
present when Owain and / spoke to-
gether, aud as W. could scarcely make
1t plain that his presence was not re-
CURED In his w room, we remained
silent. Enid went away at once n
my uncle pursed his lips and stared
Into the fire reneCtively, as IL he a
merely come TO await the meal which
was shortly afterwards put on the ia
BILE. This was dispatched almost In ST.
lence, and upon its conclusion | with
drew to my w room and began seri-
ously 10 plan my next steps. After
some thought l resolved to strike
across into Herefordshire, where l had
friends who would receive me. / q
hung in the wind at first between them
and Nant-y-Bryn, but had finally
chosen the latter as the safer spot.
However, amy port In n storm; and
l carefully loaded my pistols, took my
l1An1- aA..a tla1 100. ~ $40 Z q 1n1 lAAr
hanging since Slant gave it back to me-,
and made up my mind to set out that
very night. 1t was Cleac, hard, frosty
weather, n bright NOON; and White
sock had not moved a hoof for n couple
Of days. We could go far beyond day
break, and 81 much the better, for the
reads would be quiet. / had lately
ridden much about the surrounding
country with Owain, and knew which
way TO march. l a just made an
end Of my preparations when a tap
came at the door and Owain himself
appeared.
my dear Heathcotc," said he, in a
low tone Of deep veXation, II am
more ashamed than l can tell you OF
the turn which affairs have taken. 1t
seems t]raitorOus TO be glad to see you
Go-for l perceive your preparations
after the fashion you stood shoulder
to shoulder with me last night. But /
car only say to you that l am rejoiced
that 0 have put my hin into praC-
teal service. l cannot tell o me-
tenth Of The things / would, for l have
bound myself with a vow Of conf
denCe, given Carelessly and without
dreaming of what 1t would cover"
YOU" / cried, as he paused. DO
not dream for an instant hat / could
connect you with this awkwardness. I
would trust my life in your hands q
hundred and a hundred times. But, as
you hint, there are other people in the
matter, and too many for II to stand
against
you are only too right he replied,
gloomily, and this, a refuge Of a thou
sand, is denied you"
Fear nothing for me-" l answered,
Il shall cross the marches into Here
fordshire, and lie for awhile in quar-
ters as safe as good friends can make
them"
His eye frightened and his brow
cleared.
"You have come here to go?' he
cried. Heaven be praised! 1t has
been like lead at my heart to think you
must go out into danger alone"
"The danger, l fear, is on your side,"
said l, suppose these sayages make
another descent upon YOU; | would
give my left hand to be here to help"
Their sting Is drawn returned
Owain; eleven slain and some of them
for a surety wounded. 1t is more like
ly that we shall run them to their holes
and root out this ancient mischief"
l was o to speak again, when
Owain laid a finger on lips and looked
at me with such Wide-opcnCd eyes
and face of earnest warning, that l
remained silent. His ears, keener than
mine, had caught a sound without, and
he made two or three sharp steps In
the room, as If approaching the door.
Then he stopped dead and listened. ]
listened also and heard nothing ave a
single. faint creak. Never a sound Of
a football came to my ears, only the
give OF a board under some ones
weight, as they sped away Owain re-
turned to my side.
II would dispense with Il leave-tak-
ing of your uncle, If l wer you," he
said dryly, and, above all, not q word
again to me or to anyone else of where
you think OF going"
Continued Next Week.)