The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-10-16

"And this poor wretch who has been
brought here. surely you will not put
him to death in cold blood
Indeed, do not care either way"
said Ieuan, stroking his beard; yet,
to be sure, If they should catch some
one again, as they did last night, they
would not be SO quick to hang him II
| we had a man to hang, too. We could
exchange. as they do at the wars"
And that's good idea" said I.
Yes said Ieuan. with a smile OF
pleased vanity.
Indeed it Isl" and from that instant
Gruffydds life was safe.
Food was now offered us-broiled
mutton and oatmeal cakes-while q
bundle Of fodder was brought out for
| Wh1tesook
A heap Of dried rushes and ferns was
assigned to me for bed, and. folded in
my cloak. 1 slept easily and soundly
Upon my awakening the next morn
Ing | rubbed my eyes. and had some
difficulty in recollecting where I was.
| The place looked much the same az on
the previous night.
The huge turf fire had been piled UP
again and was roaring gaily under 9
| natural vent, which led the smoke up
to crack in the hillside above. NO
daylight ever entered the cavern, but
1T was lighted night and day by the
peats and wood, of which great pile
was stocked in the driest corner.
The place was empty save for the
! wounded red men of the Dusk and
Megan, who was crouched within
yard of my couch feeding Whitesock
with morsels of oatcake, which the
mare chewed slowly. yet with a relish.
as If approaching the kindness which
was meant.
sprang up and shook myself, and
Whitesock whinnied gaily. Megah
stepped quickly forward, took my cloak
and busted herself with picking from It
every bit of fern which chung to Its sur
facs. .patting It and smoothing 1t. and
power. Then she turned to the fire
and the kissing of her cookery was
hlllng the place when Ieuan enteted.
Where Is the prisoner?' said I.
lie ISIS safe as you are" returned
1euan, showing his white teeth In a
smile. did I not say so? But he has
been put in one Of the other places"
lie sat down on a block Of wood near
the fire, and said no other word. Me-
! gan gave the food when 1t was ready,
and we ate in silence For my part,
was busy enough in my thoughts. It
was difficult to degree to decide on
my next movements. If proceeded on
my journey l left matters at such loose
| ends, both as regarded the prisoner in
the hands Of the Red Men Of the Dusk
and my friends In hiding, that / should
never have known q peaceful moment.
/ If | went back to Nant-y-Bryn and
/ confronted my uncle, 1t would only
serve to acquaint that he must lay still
deeper and moro careful plans to come
/ at his ends / could see nothing for 1t
1 but to stand still for the present and
! await the march OF events.
was brushing the crumbs Of oadj
1 cake from my knees when a smart pitt
pat rounded on the floor and bare
footed Red Man Of the Dusk ran in his
! pike trailed in his hand and his breath
coming deeply, as If he had run fast
i and far.
Ieuan looked up and listened atten-
lively tc the mans story. then glanced
/ thoughtfully into the fire.
4 Where has this man come from ~
/ said L.
From Nant-y- Bryn," replied Ieuan.
'Nant-y-Bry.1!" l cried.
Yes" said 1auan that bad old man
shall not lift {, finger but what will
! hear of It, and | keep one or two there
watching always"
| But they will be Observed" said /.
/ Iaula laughed scownfully, and waved
his hand without deigning to reply; and
4 l remembered the wild tanEle Of hills
4 and raFines Ttilst rose to the north of
the house, holding 1t in fun view and
affordinE cover for an army.
What does he br!ng?" l asked.
"Owain has ridden away over the
hills TO the south, and two men with
him." answered Ieuan.
i Where has he gomez" said !, In Won
der.
al am not sure, but can guess" rer
turned Ieuan, and he fell silent, biting
the ends of his long lnustache. In
short time ne left the cave, and / saw
no more of him for some hours. / spent
much OF this time rambling about the
tiny NOOK among the mountains, where
a the Gwylliaid Cochion had made their
retreat. | mounted a summit near by.
and marked luS:.wide and desoIate
the hills tumbled. like stiffeneo pillows,
all around. Only by the inerest chance
could the den be hit upon; and then,
even when the rocky and carefully
guarden entrance was passed, 1t would
be difficult to believe that the spot was
E inhabited Besides the main cavern,
there were several other holes among
the rocks where the remaining fam
lies lived and SO cunningly were the
entrances disposed that 1t needed but
the extinction of the fires to rob the
! place OF all air of human occupancy
1t was toward the middle Of the af-
ternoon, and had resumed my seat by
the peats, when Ieuan appeared once
more.
I'VE shall go now said he, "and
wait for OWain to come back again.
CONTINUED Next Week.2
WHALES DIVE DEEP.