Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-08-27
CHAPTER VIII.
MY UNCLE,S ENEMIES.

MY UNCLE'S ENEMIES.
1 looked into the fire and knew not
| what to say. had scarcely expected
to be called upon so suddenly to pity
my uncle's circumstances 1t seemed
rushing on at stride to stage in our
confidence which ought to be of a later
date, IT, indeed, of any date; for when
a man sat before great fire in a great
house, we'll provided With everything
necessary to living except the mere
counters of money, it seemed to me
that he was crying out before he was
hurt.
Uncle" said I. as the thought
flashed into my mind, who are these
men who are haunting the country, the
men who seized Miss Vaughan?"
My uncle went as White as paper and
drew In his breath suddenly. His dark
eyes dilated and glowed. but whether
In anger or fear l could not tell.
Y Gwylliaid Cochion.'' he said in a
low voice, and then, as If the sound
fascinated him, he repeated slowly
again, Y Gwylliaid Cochion."
That's the name l heard" said /,
and l told him of the little saddler who
would not venture into the hills.
They are a band of thieves said my
uncle, "and very ferocious dangerous
Who move about in the dusk, 'Cochion'
is the mere adjective red. 1t Is applied
to them because they are all red haired.
They marry and intermarry in and in
among the band, and | believe that a
black haired one was never whelped.
If 1t was, they would instantly dispose
of it to keep UP their tradition"
The Red Men of the Dusk said l.
why duslS?''
rorlio1 Ayt1,,,r .t1,o,,
lie by closely in the day and never stir
until the dusk falls. You might march
through their very haunts in daylight,
and you would go safely. But let the
sun set and find you on the hills with
no shelter near at hand, and you may
turn your head and see one moving on
you as noiseless as shadow and as UNI
expectedly as IL the earth had yawned
behind YOU and flung him forth. 1t is
this popularity of theirs which makes
people SO frightened of them. Many of
the ignorant are more than half per-
suaded that the Red Men of the Dusk
are not mortal, but are evil spirits of
the mountain
There is a man among them, in au-
thcrity, who seemed mortal enough"
said l. i met him BY clance, and he
was Milli:4s enough to quarrel and fight
and terrible fighter he was"
/ began to describe the swordsman,
and my uncle held up his hand before
l had said a dozen words.
'Ieuan Gwyllt," he said; that is, in
English, Wild John
l went on to describe our encounter.
and at the mention of our crossing
swords my uncle looked up with ex-
tradorinary interest.
You killed him. he cried, eagerly;
say you killed him"
hot RI I'm
fair fight" l rejoined; II had chance
of doing it, certainly but 1T was not a
chance Which a gentleman could take. "
What chance? How?" painted my
lncle
I told the story.
And / say nephew, that you are lit
tie better than an idiot screamed my
uncle. with your foolish notions and
raw fancies of honor and fair play and
i say-kill him. TO think you had
Ieuan Gwyllt at your feet and spared
him. Oh. to think of IT.. / would have
given half l possess to enjoy such a
chance" He sprang from his chair and
paced the room eXeitedly. He looked
at me with Il scowl, and 1t Is possible
that 1 was looking black also, for
plimentsmyr relative had showered upon
me. Sir Arthur stopped suddenly and
smiled 1t was not happy smile, and
when he laughed, as he proceeded to do,
there was no mirth in the sound.
"Geoffrey," said he, your story ex-
cited me not little, and ] fear my ex-
citement carried me beyond the bounds
of Politeness. If you only knew what
reasons l have to hate Ieuan Gwyllt.
you would have given him no quarter
but would instantly have struck him
out of my PATH"
"Out of your path, sir?" said i. for
he had half apologized, and that was
enough for me from an old man and a
near relation.
"Out of my path" repeated Sir Ar
thur The story is this. Five and
twenty years or more ago the father
of Ieuan Gwyllt belonged to those of
chief OF that day died, and n fierce
quarrel arose between two cousins for
the vacant place. The one who was
worsted left the band, and settled,
without his origin being known. on this
estate. He was the father Of Ieuan
Gwyllt, and Ieuan, then q child, came
with him. Until two years ago Ieuan
was a favored tsnant, treated by ma
with the utmost consideration and
kindness. Then he took 1T into his
head that hs had some grievance
against me- and twice j was fired at
as rode home in the dusk"
HE tried to kill you--a tenant on the
estate tried to kill you!" l exclaimed,
for matters Were OH quite another
footing at l3utley Croft and. for mat
ter of that. everywhere else of which l
knew in Worcestershire.
HE tried to kill me- repeated my
uncle, dropping his hand With solemn
and deliberate gesture on the table.
II endeavored to restrain him. as much
to save him from the consequences
which his violent temper would bring
upon him as to protect myself. bat he
fed to his tribe. Here he soon rose
to authority, and he has made use OF
1t to draw them to this side of the
country Partly, also. they had made
their old haunts too hot to hold them"
And you think that his movement
is directed against you?" asked.
81 know it" said Sir Arthur, wi de-
cision. These people, Geoffry, are hot
of temper, yindictive and treacherous
to q degree. They never forgive and
never forget. Their love of revenge is
a thing incredible. Thej Will go
through fire and water to reach il, and
to wait for it merely inhan.es them:
they will make it the deeper and blood
Ter when they get it,
do you expect them to attack this
house," / asked.
1T would not surprise me, indeed, :"
said Sir Arthur, gloomily.
But what can they do with pixies
against such a strong place as this?"
said L. "A dozen stout fellows could
hold this house against a regiment un-
provided with cannon
'Ay, ay.' said my uncle. but regi-
ment comes on with drum and trum-
pet, and you know where TO lcok for
them. But these fellows come on You
as the mist glides over the bill" He
fell silent, tapping with his foot upon
the floor and looking into the fire. A