The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-11-27
CHAPTER xxvl.-continued.

! X ilcal llIllio was w i
the road, and by good luck, the house
could fit us with Il couple of adde's
one for Enid and one for myself, for
my own saddle was altogether out OF
character for a serving man to be-
stride, being too costly, and l cheer
fully exchanged it FOR a rude afIalr
which the good maj OF MaengWyn Toue
to market. SIAM went off at a gallop,
riding bare-backed, to d house some
two miles away, and took money to int
herself out, and was back with her
pony harneaaed within the hour. There
were droves of animals belonging 10
Nant-y-Bryn pasturing about this part
of the mountain, and the son OF the
house captured us q strong little gelu-
ing to serve as q pack horse. He n
| fastened the saddle bags carefully
upon it and everything was ready tor
q start.
It was about 10 o'clock when we
plunged into a narrow cwm which TOOK
us out of sight of MaengWyn in less
than o hundred yards and led US north
eastward across the hills.
Enid was riding WhitesocS, and l
walked at her side. leading the gray
pony who had followed us to Maen-
gwyE the night before. Siani came be-
hind with the baggage horse.
Again Whitesock seemed to under
stand everything. She ambled on as II
proud to carry her beautiful burden,
ard after walking half a mile l Ven
tured to slip into the saddle and ride
the gray beside her.
Poor creature!" said Enid; what a
shame to torInenl aer when she is SO
fond of you For Whitesock was now
a triie uneasy, yet calm again when 1
spoke to her and stroked her neck:
"In five minutes more said /, she
will hn - l9Dnv with Won as under
me-
oh. no. aid Enid.
TT is true I returned; Il know her
ways well enough to be sure that She
has taken to you for good and all
| It was as | said. A lew minutes lat
a serving man TO occupy. Whitesock
| turned her eye on me, and when she
saw | was not leaving the company but
following behind, she moved smoothly
forward without Il tidget.
Much of this, to be sure. was owing
to the manner in which she was being
ridden.
Enid is q born hcrSewoman, and her
hands are perfect.
All day we rode steadily forward,
following tracks well known to my
| companions. a halt CT q couple Of
hours was made in the early afternoon
at a Shepherds hut to refresh our
: SbiN cS Stilb lCCNl btilt y = ZIG J,C4 SCS, ttIINt
as dusk fell we rode up TO an inn which
! l recognized as the place where | had
I failed 10 find Enid and Siani, and from
{ whence I had ridden ct once to take
them from the Red Men OF the Dusk.
Here my disguise did not profit me
much, for the people at nee found out
I was not what They ne
Miss Vaughan and her servant well,
and took me. at first, for what I looked.
But, naturally enough, they spoke to
! me in the language OF the country, and
I was graVeled at a word. When they
founA / did not understand them, they
became very eager 10 probe into the
mystery, and set a fellow who had a
little English to c~ross-eyamine me.
From this 7 was caved by the inter
vention of Siani, and I saw very plain
ly the use of Il laced Goa in gaining
one civility at an inn.
The ncXt morning We set off at an
early hour, and row I knew the track
we followed. We called at the house
Of the woman whose child I had fshed
out of the swift little brook, and drank
new. warm milk with her. She made
no sign that she had seen mo before
but that vas not wonderful and nc
severe test of my present guise.
AS we rods h a afternoon, Enid de-
cided against staying in Rhayader. II
the house opposite the inn lived an ole
servant of the V~aumhan'a. and l shorlG
be again exposed to great irquisitive.
ness.
The Welsh. and in particular thu
country Welsh, have an intense pas.
sion for prying into other peoples bus,
mess, II the figure I cut Of a home.
spun mountaineer, with IN Englisf
tongue in my had. would gall t1ei.
curiosity nightly.
SO we took n cast about Rhayader
passing a couple OF miles south of thu
town, and riding slowly along very bat
roads TO an inn some dozen miles be.
yond it.
The next morning I rode beside Emit
in earnest talk, for that evening woult
see us at Mistress Whiteift's house
and we had our plans for the future t,
arrange What they were, it is need
less to mention, for they wore shaker
to pieces that same night by the marcl
of affairs and others called for at
short notice.
Our midday halt was at Knightor
and here Siani obtained me a grea
black patch, which I clapDed over tn
right side of my face as scon as w
were clear of the place. Enid eyed m
n~nxiously, and even her uneasy hear
was at rest when she canned the an
pearance I now presented.
We rode across the border into Sout
Salop. then acloss North Hereford. mex
: into Salop again and SO came to Lud
low. We made 10 stop here BIT
, marched steadily on, aiming to get t
l Mistress Whiteift's house Just afte
) niShtfall.
| A thick misty evening was gatberin
J around us when Enid pointed to a ia
stone we were passing and said: 81
is a mile again"
I'VE have timed ourselves to a won
der" said l, and rode up alongside. fC
the road was solitary and the dusk wa
!, deepening fast. Soon we came to
( white gate and here Enid drew reil
J A little further on could be seen IL
! lights of fire and candle in the window
of q little hamlet.
l sprang down and pushed the ga
/ open. we entered an avenue, and Eni
4. brought Whitcsock TO q stand.
, Il will go quietly forward she sai
e d see that Mistress Whiteift
8 somewhat prepared for our arriya
Her health has been feeble this Ia.
G year or more, Il / fear now that th
will rouble her"
y l helped her 10 descend and she we,