Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-08
"Geoffrey Heathcote, Esq"
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BY JOHN FNNlm0RE Copyright 1899 by Mcclure
CHAPTER XVII.
A MAN OF THE DUSK


I BECOME A MAN OF THE DUSK
followed In his steps, for could not
see what else to do. The whole affair
was on my account; the man was In
sense my prisoner, and / felt respon-
sible for him. The discovery of the
dreadful advantage which Sir Arthur
held over my friends had turned my
plans topsy-turvY. and l could scarce
ly ride away TO a safe place of refuge
with the knowledge that their liberties
and lives We're hanging in the wind
You will follow very carefully" said
Ieuan over his shoulder for there will
be places where to go a foot wrong will
be to Slip into bog, where you will
sink as a stone sinks in water.
Upon this caution I came down and
led Whitesock close at the tail of the
messengers horse. At first the path
was hard and clean, then we Travelled
for long way through places where
the frost had not yet gained a com
plete grip of the marshy track, and,
crashing through the stiffened surface,
we sank half knee-deep at every step.
Being unused to such places my heart
was in my mouth time and again, es-
pecially when the surface of the bog for
a score of yards round quaked and
swayed, and seemed to suck at US, as
If eager to engulf us between it's sedgy
lips.
But Ieuan trod firmly and steadily
on, and l followed, and within an hour
we came out on the smooth, hard hill
side. Ieuan now sprang up behind
Gruffydd and took the reins. urging the
powerful horse to q trot, and i swung
myself into the saddle and rode along
side.
As came up, the prisoner turned n
sullen eye upon me, and saw fear and
surprise mingled in his glance
Tell him not to be frightened said
i; he will not come to any further
harm.
leuan gave chuckle of dry con-
tempt, and shrugged his shoulders
slightly. He spoke never word. and
was the more strongly fortified in my
resolution to see the thing through and
do what 1 could to keep safe a man
who was only an innocent instrument
in the mischief intended to me-
Mile after mile we trotted over the
bare, bleak hills, and wilder and wilder
grew the scene around us. AT last
Ieuan drew rein at the mouth of a
narrow cwm, whose entrance was litter
ed by great rocks, and began to bark
like a fox. He was answered instantly,
and two fellows sprang from their hid
Ing places among the boulders and ran
to meet u.s. AT a word from Ieuan each
of them took a rein and guided the
horses through q narrow path which
"oo!4u s'iiloiie' .l'c asses ol st'i'e a''u
leu 10 sihootn patch OF gfeehsWafd
SCI iouilu Oh three s'Nes ny peetilhs
pleeipices.
One of these latter FAY fun length
in the moonlight and toward 1T our
horses were led. A dozen yards from
the gray rock our guides stood s;iil,
and Ieuan made sign that should
dismount. | did SO, and at COM
mand from their leader the two attend
ants pulled Grufrydd down in very
unceremonious fashion and held him by
the collar.
Come this way said 1euan.
WHAT about my mare" l returned
Bring her with you. IL you like"
said Ieuan. and ! led Whitescck after
him.
l now saw that a huge fragment Of
rock lay at the base of the cliff. but
being of the same color and leaving but
narrow gap, 1t looked. even when
close at hand, mere projection rather
than separate mass The path be
tween the boulder and the cliff admit
ted but q single passenger. and we
walked in file. my stirrups tingling
against the rock ON either hand as
Whitesock stepped cautiously after me.
black hole, barely the height of a
man received us, and sand cruncied
under our feet A red dancing CLEAN
struck into my eyes, and saw Il great
fire of turf burning high and painting
the wet, Shiny walls of q large cavern
with bright, mrror-lke reflections.
Half dozen figures, who had been
seated round the blaze. sprang to their
feet as we entered. but sank down
again when they recognized Jeuan.
Low strains of the most ,nour,4cul
music hun1ned through the place and
/ saw the dwarf harper bending over
his instrument and drawing from II q
waillng, melancholy air.
A woman huddioa na.r bt,, In
crouchiny ham Cnytinncd ia ,,tta,. 49,.
heart broken proans f,ttIne .n.o,,,,,.,,,i
noent To his ,n,,sfc From Two ~. tt,e,,
b,,nd1es laid apeinst the f,,,t,er vt,li
and covered With skins ana t,+tsnai
rags cries ar main ocnasional,,, h,,rot
forth betraying the presenee of the
wounded and saw mvself 81 !. ho,,nd
transferred to the center and stroT. ps.
hold of tho Rod Men ~ the DueL
Without word to any one. Jeu.,n
walked M, To the fire and Sxn,.,a Nc
hands TO the warmth Fierca c,,rioms
ewes were turned upon mo and SAVAGE
cries of rage were uttered as Tho n,s1
oner was brouebt forvara III. ,lti
ratified together in fear as he was
dra geed into the firelipht Ieuan ,oa,,ed
upon his terror and their hate with a
complacent grin. Al this instant the
woman whose proans IF sn,r,,,,, 49,
been enhoinr throlsrh the Mace ,,.as
aroused from her tornor hv the excite
mont of he, connanions she Inol,sd
round and saw The cantiye for cruz.
fydd was now hound hand ANA Foot
With = scre.r,, Of villa eynltation Oh.
recoenized him as n man fron, Ma,,t ~.
Bryn, and at the same moment I knew
oer fo,. the woman Who nd bas., 60 IL,
,. ei ig pa e NE, M9 9 az VINO mao pesgeu ~