Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-22
CHAPTER Xxx.

.SEaiueu lle events OF tne tWlilSHl.
CHAPTER Xxx.
FOUL PLAY.
The next morning there was no sign
Of Ieuall, or, indeed, of any of the men
about the place, and l saddled White
sock n galloped Off in the direction
we had followed The previous day. L
kept a sharp lockout as l rode over the
gray. naked hills, but saw no sign of
people abroad. did not know when 1T
wa intended 10 beat III the quarters
of the Red Men of the Dusk, and half
expected to meet scouting parties over
any rise. But the mountain opened be-
fore me, mile after mite, bare and som
Der and l~ifeless.
Within an hour j had e-nsoonced my
self among the boulders commanding a
view of Nant-y-Bryn, and here l began
q patient watch. ! saw plenty of oyc
tnent about the house-men coming
and going, carrying waite. and groom
ing horses out on the hillside before
the gate, figures rambling idly. figures
running busily, but among them no
sign of the tail, straight form for which
/ looked.
Hours Slipped slowly away, and 1
glanced at the sky and saw that the
sun was at its zenith. ] rubbed my
dazzled eyes aud turned them on N:lnt-
y-Bryn again. A cluster of figures
seemed moving in my direction
through the bright fog which, staring
at the sun, had spread before me. /
shut my eyes for a few moments. then
looked out eargcrly. Yes, four people
We're walking up he hill, two and two,
strolling carelessly, and Owain was one.
of the leading pair. They came slowly
on, not heading directly toward me, but
more in Il line for the spinney be-
low.
At some distance from the house
they glanced back, and Immediately
men carrying out a definite plan. From
my perch | had the whole country be-
low me, and in q moment | fancied l
saw the meaning OF it.
A dip in the hill had hidden them
from the house, and there was now no
need for them to assume Il careless
air. They were bent ON something In
ence, and, knowing Owain as i did, L
was half assured what 1t was. | OBJ
served that they walked strictly two
and two, and that there was no turn
ing of heads, as there would be We're
a general conversation going on.
In a short time they passed out OF
my sight behind the further edge OF
lle SpliiIlSS, anu l. maze uQHIi va or lIin
trees, leading Whitesock by the rein. L
trod softly through the larches and
peered out. 1t was exactly as / had
fancied. Forty yards away the four
figures were gathered on q level patch
of turf. Owain and another young fell
low about his own z had their coats
already off and their naked swords in
their hands.
His opponent and the two econds
N-pro tha y-nppp MON ur,na,,, 7 1,4,l ,-,a,,
riding with him on the previous eye
ming, and | shook my head rs L thought
how hot-bloGded and foolish IL all WIS.
| am not one myself always TO 4un
away from the like Invitations, but
with such business on hand as root
ing out the Red Men oil the Dusk III
seemed to be a Very i'll time to be turn
ing their weapons against each other.
1T is true that | was blessed. Tor
could l have enjoyed nay way | would
never haye ;l&d Cwain go Il yard from
his sister uatil she stood il safer cir
cuinstances thai the present. Yet /
never dreamed of the bloody end To
which matters were shorty 10 run, but
waited 10 see one or the other aet a
scratch sufficient to satisfy all parties.
/ have nave. known 10 this day what
the quarrel WAS about, but that it WAS
over q trivial affair 1 am assured 10y
the a The duel commenced, going
forward for a time more Ike u calm
fencing match han aught e!sc.
This was greatly to my satisfaction.
eot41o ia .rrai, .n,i n a,,sn,a -
int no ss @ia, ' naycr ' osfa.ad ~, ~ ~
~ 70 nc ie con,1norIs. ,},an IN ~, : ~
Il serious quarrel.
Yet the tingle and grate II cold steel
had, before long, its customary mad
dening effect. 1t excited even ms. as I
,n,cl ,5ora IA 5cf1,,l ,o,t ~. I, !, 49,,
They gradually grey w,,n,T,. lba
llnces IecoInn fas%er .,,d fia,aa,,
could boar tnoi, a5,,4in. h,.,.t& ~
eaGh swift ho,ind and yaitn,,s5d IVA No
formal tiftina syiftiv 1Sers4. mo,
deadly conlbai.
/ watched with all INV cyos lonainp
to see Owain safely through ii. and
soon i heaved Il sigh of relief. There
was no question as to the better man,
n 1 saw that Owain Was completely
master of his opponents play. The lat
ter began to give ground. ard Owain
followed steadily up. The losin;, mans
second. Il short r~cd-haired fellow, be-
gan to shout and scream in his excite
ment, seeming beside himself at pros
pect OF Owain's victory.
This sfrange conduct In a second
caused me 70 view him more attentive
~, II | discovered n great likeness
between him and the fighting man l
Judged them, and i found after~ard
that | had Judged rightly, to be
brothers.
Lunge By lunge. Owain drove his OPP
poneit back, md. suddenly engaging
him more fiercely than ever, plucked
his sword from his grasp. Tho defeat
ca a"oiasniah gave a shrill, tNin cry
upon nhdlhg himself deiehseeess' put