Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-15
CHAPTER XVIII.
1EuAN,s STORY.

exchange my present lHactlON IOf move
ment, and In few minutes we We're
cantering brislsly ove- the brown,
frostbitten turf A couple of Ieuan's
followers trotted after us, keeping up
easily with the mouaSain pony which
carried their tail leader. We held our
way southwark for several miles along
valleys and through solitary ravines.
ran, one on either flank, along the
ridges and watched the country.
AT last we came to slopes dotted
with sheep, and Ieuan rode slower and
his followers secuted more cautiously
still. tiny hui, more of sharpened
mr. poles driven INTO the ground and
Waited with furze, came into sight.
had seen several of them about the
hills when riding with: Owain and knew
that they served the hardy shepherds
for shelter when it was necessary to
spend night upon the mountains.
We will fasten our horses in this"
said Ieuln, "and go little on foot to
see what they are doing"
The hut afforded just sufficient cover
from the cutting wind, and l slipped
Whitesoch's rein round corner pole,
and followed IeuaA, who was watching
for cluster of boulders scattered on
the. crown of a rise before US. He
reached them before me, and placed
himself in cover of the tallest. / went
up and glanced over mis- shoulder. Half
mile away to the west the windows
OF ntyB.yn flashed redly In the
light of the sinking sun, figures moved
about the front of it, the long. cooling
cry of the women who herded the cat
tie rose family up the hillside to US,
and the feeling that they were at ease
and going peacefully about their usual
tasks came insensibiy to the heart.
We shall go now to those trees"
said Ieuan, pointing to clump Of
larches some distance to the right. II
must see what people shall come back
with Owain.''
He moved off as he spoke. and I
said: But what of the animals? Will
they be safe there, II we leave them?"
Safe enough" returned Ieuan;
there is but one path which leads near
the hut, and no one will be following
It. 1t leads to From, and From is now
empty
."Fron." though. l. that is the place
where we went or the. dog of the heavy
mist" and l admired the quick chance
which had banded me from the one
side to the other.
Where does this path lead to?" l
asked.
ITO farm called Tai-fryn, up the
hill there returned Ieuan. He caught
his breath, and his nostrils dilated.
They are no friends of yours, then"
said !. marking his emotion.
Who said was no friend to Winny
Tal-fryn" cried Ieuan, his eyes blaz-
You have heard OF Tnl-fryn before!
Yes, yes, you have been told"
Never in my life," said l. "1know
nothing Of the place or the people who
live there-1 never heard the name till
you mentioned 1t moment back
Then what made you say that?"
cried Ieuan.
You looked ang,J enough to eat the
people," returned.
Angry" said he, 'ay, well angry.
Yes, but not with her. No, indeed, not
with her. Poor lass, indeed, will new
er blame her." He stopped. and his
features worked curiously. His face
had the look often seen upon that of a
child too proud to weep, yet having a
hard struggle to keep tears back In a
few moments he had regained his COM
Dosure, but remained silent, his eyes
liked on the road.
A sound caught my ears and looked
up.
Hist" said l. some one is coming
through the wood"
The whisper had scarcely left my
lips when young woman with child
running at her skirts came round a
bend in the path. She was tall and
straight, dark-eyed and fresh colored.
leuan had sprung to my shoulder and
was peering over 1t. At sight of her he
fell attending, until he shook me. 1
glanced back and saw that his face
was drawn hard and white. and set in
a pitiful smile.
The young woman came on, and
when she was within a yard Of the
brake in which we lay, Ieuan stepped
out and confronted her.
She gave cry, not, as 1t seemed to
me, Of fear, but rather of sorrow and
surprise, covered her face with her
hands and burst into tears. The little
boy set up shout of terror and chung
to her, but she took no notice of him
and continued to weep convulsively.
1euan began to speak rapidly in the
softest and most caressing tones Of his
beautiful voice, but understood and
wished to understand nothing of what
he said. AS the couple approached US,
something inedfinably familiar in the
child's face had riveted my attention,
began to make the situation clear
enough. Porr 1euan! Poor Winny!
They had been driven apart, that was
clear, and l was at no loss to lay my
finger upon TIL, person who had driven
them.
turned back deeper into the brake
and left the poor souls tc themselves.
and in a fe" minutes Ieuan came back
10 his post, tears dropping from his
fierce eyes. He made no shame of
them, as an Englishman would have
done, but began to speak in low, UNI
steady voice.
Yes" said he, II am sure YOU can
see how 1T ISIS with us. That iss the
young woman who wass to have been
my wife, but that bad old man robbed
her away from me. and not honestly.
either, and married her to man who
ISIS not fit to be fer servant. Yes;
Siencyn wass very glad to marry Win
md II
had gone TO England with drove of
ponies to the markets, and wass not
back for months and months, and then
came to find her lost to me-"
He stopped speaking and set his face
savagely in the direction of Nant-y-
Bryn.
''she will not say that she has seen
u.s." I suggested.
Not if you should offer her noun
tain of gold" cried Ieuan; mot Il you
should make her a queen on a throne"
And it was after that when you shot
at Sir Arthur. 1euan?"
1T wass," he replied. II had two
tries to shoot him. but l am worth
nothing in shooting, and missed him by
far both times If it had been the
sword between us, now! But he took
care about that. He rode with too
many for me to try that. And next.
what did he do?" cried Ieuan, with
heightened color and blazing eye. He
tried to sell me as q slave. A slave!
Yes, l., free son of the free hills"
THE trick is but too common nova
days" l replied. Il. myself. have known
three gentlemen Of birth and fortune
trepanned and sold 10 the plantations.
But how did he get hold of you?"
1T wass like this" replied Ieuan
Gwyllt. II was one day In the market
Of Aberystwyth, over there by the sea-
side, when man with big golden rings
In his ears came to me and asked for
news Of two or three people who live