The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-09-04
CHAPTER VIII.
MY UNCLE'S ENEMIEs.

my Uncle circumstances. 1t seemed
rushing on at a stride to stage in our
confidence which ought to be of a later
date, II, indeed, of any date; for when
man sat before a great fire in great
mouse, well 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
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 d1lated and glowed. but whether
IN anger or fear l could not tell.
GWylliaid Cochion," he said in
low voice, and then, as If the sound
again, ~ Gwyllia1d Cochion."
That's the name 1 heard" said I,
and I told him of the little saddler who
would not venture into the hills.
They are band Of thieves" said my
uncle. land very ferocious, dangerous
fellows, too. 'Gwylliaid' means men
who move about in the dusk, 'Cochion'
is the mere adjective red. 1t Is applied
ito them because they are all red-haired.
They marry and intermarry in and In
among the band, and I believe that
black haired one was never whelped.
III it was, they would instantly dispose
iof 1t to keep up their tradition"
THE Red Men Of the Dusk" said I.
why dusk?"
Because" replied Sir Arthur, they
lie by closely In the day and never stir
until the dusk falls. You might march
through their very haunts in daylight,
land you would go safely But let the
sun set and find you on the hills with
mo shelter near at hand and you may
turn your head and see one moving on
you as noiseless as shadow and as I'M
expectedly as If 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-
Isuaded that the Red Men Of the Dusk
are not mortal but are evil spirits Of
the mountain
There is man among them, in au-
lthority, who seemed mortal enough"
said I. I met him by chance, and he
was willing enough to quarrel and fight
and terrible fighter he was"
I began to describe the swordsman,
and my uncle held up his hand before
Il had said a dozen words.
"Ieuan Gwyllt," he said; that is, in
English, Wild john"
went on to describe our encounter,
land at the mention Of our crossing
"a 6WOFOS, my unele looked up Win eX-
tradorinary interest.
You killed him." he cried, eagerly;
'"say you killed him."
! THAT was more than I could do In
fair fight" I rejoined; II had a chance
of doing it, certainly, but it was not a
chance which a gentleman could take. F"
What chance? How?' painted my
uncle.
I told the story.
nd hof =
tie better than an idiot screamed my
uncle, with your foolish notions and
raw fancies Of honor and fair play and
the like. here Is your enemy-Sill him:
Y say-kill him. 10 think you had
Ieuan Gwyllt at your feet and spared
him. Oh! to think of it. I would have
tgiven half I possess to enjoy such a
chance" He sprang from his chair and
paced the room excitedly. He looked
at me with scowl,. and it Is possible
that I was looking black also, for
felt by no means pleased with the COM
ipliments my relative had showered upon
iYne. 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.
Godfrey" 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 have to hate Ieuan Gwyllt
you would have given him no quarter
pbut would instantly have struck him
out Of my PATH"
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
whom we have been speaking. The
chief Of that day died, and a fierce
quarrel arose between two cousins fol
the vacant place. The one who was
worsted left the band, and settled
without his origin being known, on this
lestate. He was the father of 1euar
.Gwyllt, and Ieuan, then a child, came
with him. Until two years ago Ieuar
twas a favored tenant, treated by me
with the utmost consideration ano
kindness. Then he took 1t into his
head that he had some grievance
against me, and twice was fired al
.as rode home In the dusk"
"He tried to kill you-a tenant on the
estate tried to kill you!" I exclaimed
for matters were on quite another
Footing at Butley Croft, and, for mat.
ter Of that. everywhere else of which
tknew In Worcestershire.
He tried to kill me- repeated my
uncle, dropping his hand with solemn
s land deliberate gesture on the table
1T endeavored to restrain him, as much
Ito save him from the consequences
(which his violent temper would bring
upon him as to protect myself, but he
fled to his tribe. Here he soon rose
to authority, and he has made use OF
lit 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 your" asked.
IT know it," said Sir Arthur with de.
cision. These people, Geoffry. are ho1
iof temper, vindictive and treacherous
ito a degree. They never forgive ant
never forget. Their love Of revenge IL
a thing incredible. They will 81
through fire and water to reach it, ant
Ito wait for it merely in1ames them
they will make it the deeper and blood
Ter when they get it,
X seDo you expect them to attack this
lhouse?" I asked.
1t would not surprise me, indeed.
3 Asaid Sir Arthur, gloomily.
But what can they do with pike:
Z against such strong place as this 2
4 isatd I. "A dozen stout fellows could
hold this house against a regiment un
& provided with cannon :"