Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-08-27
'Geoffrey Hcathcote, Esq"
>------>--->--------~-
BY JOHN FlNNlMORE Copyright 1892 by Co.
Are they close relations

Are they close relations i asked.
Close" laughed Sir Arthur They
wouldn't be reckoned relations at all
according to English notions. They are
of the same name, and, suppose, of
the same family. There is a tree some
where, worked out with painful dill
gence by my grandfather and showing
how we stand related, but 1 hardly
know where to look for it,
He dismissed the subject With wave
OF his hand and continued to stare into
the fire. The door now opened and q
domestic announced that the midday
meal was ready. My uncle hustled TO
put away the gold in a secret hiding
place, constructed in the thickness of
the wall and covered by Il panel which
worked with a spring, and then we
went to Il room on the other side of the
wide hall. This apartment was also
large and ill-lighted, SO that the flames
of the fire overpowered the faint day
light in the duskier corners. and shown
In ruddy reflections on the dark oaken
wainscot. The brother and sister were
standing before the hearth, awaiting
our arrival, and we sat down at once.
Upon the conclusion of the meal, my
uncle with scant ceremony. drew
Owaln Vaughan to the further part of
the room and began to converse With
him in low tones The great length
of the apartment cut us in two distinct
parties, and ! glanced across the table
TO Miss Vaughan, who sat opposite me
| found her eyes fixed full upon me and
/ smiled.
1T is possible, said j. that your
thoughts are the same as mine. Was
1t not odd the manner in which we
criss-crossed for those two daNs?'
II was thinking of the same thing.
she said, smiling also. though, after
all, there is much in the fact that we
We're making for the same point
And Siani?" said L. did She come
to any further mishap with no knife
to defend her."
We reached home quite safely" said
Miss Vaughan.
Her eyes expressed an inquiry which
/ fastened to answer. and | related to
her the fright OF the fellows l turned
back to meet and my wandelings
among the hills.
II felt sure of It, she said, we know
the road so we'll that we can scarcely
conceive OF the difficulty is presents to
stranger. | trusted at amy rate, 1T
was nothing worse" She was silent
for moment. Then she said in a low
voice, her color rising slightly: 1T must
seem very strange to you-the occur
renee of this morning. But j did not
recognize you at all. saw nothing
but Owain. He was being driven back
danger. / have never seen him look
like that in my life"
And now believe me. Miss Waugh
| an, said | earnestly, 'he was in no
danger at all from me. My sole object
was to disarm him. could not under
stand then why he thrust a quarrel
upon me. merely because was Eng
lsh. My uncle has spoken of it and i
understand now"
Al this NOME nj Owain returned
| toward us and Sir Arthur went out of
the room. Miss Vaughan also retired,
and Owain and 1 stood near the fire
to talk.
My uncle said j, seems afraid
that these red fellows Will attack this
| house"
1T is likely enough" said my com
panion.
but to what purpose?' / continued;
"a set of ragged thieves such as they
are could make no entrance"
We should give them as hot a re-
ception as we COULD replied he; for
IL they did win entrance they would
make clean work of it,"
This leader, this leuan." said I, has
| he any resentment against anyone be-
| sides Sir Arthur"
II do not think so,' said Owain. II
| believe his feelings toward, say. my
self, who have been familiar with him
from boyhood. are friendly. but he is II
man of that turn of mind which would
give Nant-y- l5ryn TO he Games. and
everybody within it, so that his enemy
We're included i'm the lestrpetion.'
My uncle represents him as q nlfn
| extremely vindictivc.' said ]. and de-
cares that his grievances are merely
fanciful.'
j thought that this hint nauld caMse
Owain to speak on the differences
! which lay between Sir Arthur and
Ieuan Gwylit, but it had the opposite
effect. Vaughan looked into the fire
in silence, drawing mis- mustaohe
| through his fingers, and ] ltnew then
that had Sir Arthur not been ny uncle
| might have heard another story.