Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-29
"Geoffrey Hcathcote, Esq"
By JOHN FlNNlh0RE. Copyright 1899, by 8. 8. Mcclure Co..
Are they close reiations?" l asked.

are tHey Close relations Il dSkcu.
Close" laughed Sir Arthur. They
wouldn't be reckoned relations at all
according TO English notions. They are
or the same NAME, and, i 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 a wave
of his and and continued to stare into
the fire. The door now opened and a
domestic announced that the midday
meal was ready. My uncle hustled to
put away the gold In q secret hiding
place, constructed In the thickness OF
the wall and covered by a panel which
worked with a spring, n then we
went to n 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 rudy reflections on the dark oaken
wainscot. The brother and sister were
standing before the hearth, awaiting
Upon the conclusion of the meal, my
uncle with scant ceremony, drew
Owain Vaughan to the further part OF
the room n began to converse with
him In low tones. The great length
of the apartment cut us in two distinct
parties, n l glanced across the table
to Miss Vaughan, who sat opposite me.
l oundh her eyes fixed full upon me n
/ smiled.
1T is possible" said I, "that your
thoughts are the same as mine. Was
1t not odd the n In which we
criss-crossed for those two days?'
Il was thinking Of the same thing"
she said, smiling also, though. after
all, there is much in the fact that we
were making for the same point"
And Siani?" said /. Did she come
to n further mishap with no knife
to defend her?"
I'VE reached home quite safely" said
Miss Vaughan.
Her eyes expressed an inquiry which
/ fastened to answer, and l related to
her the fright of the fellows l turned
back to meet and my wanderings
among the hills.
the road so we'll that we can scarcely
conceive of the difficulty Is presents to
a stranger. / trusted. at any rate, 1t
was nothing worse" She was silent
for q 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 l did not
recognize you at all. l saw nothing
but Owain. He was being driven back
before you, and 1 thought him I'm great
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. I could not under
stand then why he thrust n quarrel
upon me-, merely because / was Eng
lish. My uncle has spoken of 1t and 1
understand now"
At this 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 I, seems afraid
that these red fellows will attack this
house"
"It is likely enough" said my com
panion.
But to what purpose" 1 continued;
"a set Of ragged thieves such as they
are could max no entrance"
I'VE should give them as hot a re-
ception as we could" replied he; "for
If they did win entrance they would
make clean work Of It,"
This leader, this Ieuan," said I, has
he any resentment against anyone be-
sides Sir Arthur"
IT 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 a
man Of that tur of mind which would
give Nant-y-Bryn to the flames, and
everybody within 1t, so hat his enemy
were included in the destruction"
My uncle represents him as a man
extremely vindictive," said ], and de-
clares that his grievances are merely
fanciful."
l thought that this hint would cause
Owain to speak on the differences
which lay between Sir Arthur and
Ieuan Gwylit, but 1t had h opposite
effect. Vaughan looked into the fire
in silence, drawing his mustache
through his fingers, and l knew then
that had Sir Arthur not been my uncle
l might have heard another story.