The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-08-21

the old gentleman 6. g. 6. 6s6e6s6N
ms. You smile, do you, and truly
mere Is something familiar in it. De-
clare yourself"
Well. uncle" said I, you ought to
discover something familiar about your
nearest relation.
SO you are" he cried, "I see it now,
Geoffrey Heathcote.
AT you service, uncle" I replied.
~ Is ten years since I saw you last"
SAD my uncle, welcoming me effusive-
~, an 1t Is not easy at a glance to
s se1 .ne iad OF a IN the young fellow Of
1our-and-twenty. But YOU are well
come, indeed, to Nant-y-Bryn. j
lhese are OF my name and family.
owain and Enid Vaughn" he con-
siAusd, introducing the young lady and
ner brother, but how you came point
to-polnt with Owain at such short no
tce. hot as he is. passes me alto
gether."
say nothing Of 1t. Sir Arthur
broke In Owain Vaughan; IT was in the
wrong, and I beg to thank Master
Heathcote for the great help The has
days"
$50 you are he, too. nephew?" said
my uncle. We'll, well, how queerly
things turn out. But we'n get home,
and you shall tell me all the news.'
l fetched Whitesock and we moved
up the o a together toward the house,
taking of Butley Croft and Worcester
shire affairs.
MY Uncle, Sir Arthur Vaughan, was
my fathers half brother. My grand
rather was twice married, first to Mar
garet L%athrope, of a neighboring fam
~ secondly, to Letitia Vaughan, a
welsh lady. OF each marriage there
was n son, and, as my father did not
marry until late in life, Sir Arthur had
lived many years at Butley Croft on
the roofing of heir-apparent.
Not long after my birth, his maternal
grandfather died-Sir Lewis Vaughan
was an only child, Arthur Heathcote
departed for Wales, took the maternal
inheritance and name, and was lost to
Worcestershire.
NY father Joined the kings forces
and, was killed in an attack Of the par
lament troops upon a fortified house
IN Warwtckshire, into which a num-
Der OF royalists had thrown themselves;
my mother died within two years at
terWard, and I had been left to the
care or my grandfather, who lived to a
very advanced age He had now been
DEAD some years, and, practically, I
had been master of Butley Croft since
I vas of age capable Of under
standing a little of affairs.
AS we walked on, the arrown of
the road parted us into couples, and
my uncle Jagged q little behind.
But your appearing in this sudden
and secret fashion, nephew said he,
I Judge that you are flying from
something"
I returned, ut is the old cause"
rs it SOP" said Sir Arthur. whats
on foot now?"
you must know" I began. "what
excitment and uneasiness are prevail
ing throughout the country at pres
emit. There are many who believe the
power of the parliament army is run
ming to a close. and on all hands men
are thinking hat the sun is about to
turn on u side Of the hedge"
= hear but little of these matters"
said my uncle. I'VE are out Of the way
OF news. Tell me everything"
Willingly" said I, $50 far as I know
OF matters. This unrest and the gen.
eral dislike of the country being
of II proper arts of government, are
leading to many plots being formed
against the present authorities, and
partisans Of the old cause are banding
together, in hopes Of striking a blow
to better things"
and you nave been mixed up with
one of these affairs7"
IT have" said I; but there was a
traitor among us, for 7 had a word by
Pestgate knew everything. and was
taking measures to lay us by the
heels"
"sir John Postgate," said my uncle;
tina bitter old Independent fellow. Is
he still alive?"
HE is. indeed" I returned, "and as
active as ever. I took the road within
two hours, and, after making a long
loop to throw off pursuit, headed for
your mountains"
"'Twas impossible to do better" said
Sir Arthur. "You are safe here as a
mar can be. If it was known where
you were. force could not come through
the hills without our being. aware of 1t,
and you have only to march half a
mile beyond Nant-y-Bryn to nave thir-
ty miles of hiding places open to you"
I thanked him, and we were by this
time in front of the house.
1t was a huge building, very broad for
it's height, and constructed Of square
masses of h dark gray stone which
the neighborhood yielded plentifully;
the windows small, with the lowest a
good height.from the ground and heay-
lily ironed; the door of three-inch oak,
studded with stout bolts and nails.
You will think Nant-y-Bryn a mere
dungeon, I fear, after our beautiful
Butley Croft. nephew" said Sir Arthur,
waving his head toward the gloomy
pile; but it was built at a day when
men looked more for strength than
comfort, and perchance we may need
its strength. once more"
"Ay, ay," said Owatn, for we were
four together again, and the young
lady looked grave.
MY uncle blew a call on a shrill
whistle which hung from a button Of
his coat, and a man appeared from
within. Whitesock and the black horse
were handed over to his care, and we
entered a large M-lighted hall. My un-
Gle at once carried me to his library,
that we might finish our conversation.
It was a long, low room, one wall more
than half covered with books, a dozen
volumes scattered about a broad oaken
table, and, near the hearth, a great ell
bow chair, into which he dropped and
stretched his feet toward the ample
fire of logs inc turf blazing ON the wide
hearth.
S you must keep out Of the way