Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-01-14
were twisted mo a grin, and ia an 10

were twisted mo grin, 0nQ IN al IUs
slant he gave me In vivid pantomime
an account of the manner in which he
was wounded. He ciapped an imagf-
nary gun to his shoulder and fired 1t,
shook his handin the air the hand hang
ing loose from his wrist, then Rugged
1t to his bosom with his face horribly
contorted to represent pain. How he
came to be shot in the hand was an
other thing altogether, for we could
not communicate by speech, so turned
to seek Ieuan.
The merry hiss of the frying pan
guided me to the main apartment, and
here I found Ieuan standing with his
hands on his hips regarding pan OF
rashers, which he had placed on
blazing fire.
He turned his head as entered and
smiled cheerfully.
Well" said he, you have had
good long Sleep
Il should think 1 have replied;
why did you not wake me before?"
There wass'no need" he answered.
I thought we We're to attempt an es-
cape just before daybreak." I re-
marked.
1T wass tried" said Ieuan. land
failed"
"Tlied?' cried. 81 made no try"
No" said he, carefully setting the
pan straight on the fire, nor me either.
sent Dafydd out to see if there wass
chance. If he had got away / would
have walked you, ard we would have.
been off. But they were watching like
an old fox after lambs. l pat him
through little window at the back,
and before he was a yard from the
house a man ran out and shot at him.
He jumped back to the dor and let
had a shot at the man with the little
gun, for he wass standing plain in the
freight"
Ibid you hit hina?"
Tilt him!" cried Ieuan; yes, indeed
I filled him with small pieces of lead,
and two came to drag him away"
why did you send that poor little
fellow out first?"
Because" said Ieuan, with his cruel
grin, 1T wass better for them to shoot
at him than at me. 1t wass lucky to
have Dafydd to try with.
And he was hit in the hand?"
Yes" rejoined Ieuan, nodding his
head effectively, as he stared into the
fire. fright in the middle You could
put stick straight through the hole"
He bent again to his cooking, and
went to look about our fortress, which
now began to assume, in my eyes, the
aspect of trap. blamed myself
again and again for my carelessness
In sleeping so long and leaving Ieuan
could not grasp the full import of
things. To him, everything seemed
just as 1t should be. Our enemies were
outside and We're not molesting us; we
were inside with plenty to eat and
drink and If we had not escaped the
one night we should the next, and at
any rate the quarters were comfortable
for the present. But in all this Ieuan
was Weighing things in the balance of
Nant-y Bryn.
There your enemies We're, in the
main, fixed quantity. You had to
reckon with the band before you and
no more, and if they left you easy in
your mind you might remain safely
so. But this moorland, although, to
take glance round the ale-house, 1T
looked as lonely as the hills about
Nant-y- Bryn, was yet within easy
reach of powerful reinforcements, and
\ dreaded the arrival of strength to
which we could offer no resistance
| worthy of the name. I observed that
the main body of Sir Johns men
seemed posted at small house some
sixty yards away, the only dwelling
In sight, and that sentinels were set on
both sides OF the house we occupied.
Ieuan announced that his cooking
was finished, and we ate our breakfast.
When it was over took the watch, and
| the Red Men Of the Dusk lay down to
sleep. The besiegers left US entirely
alone save for their watchfulness, and
this I regarded as a very bad sign.
Some hours passed, and kept my eyes
about me steadily, but for every glance
I gave to the people at hand directed
two to a low, healthy hill mile and a
half to the west.
knew that troops were stationed in
a small town in that direction, and the
road ran clean over the crest of the
hill. The house was perfectly quiet,
for Ieuan had bundled the landlord, his
family and the prisoner out of doors
before I awoke, and laid my plans in
case of need.
1t was about an hour after midday
| when the sight had been expecting all
the morning caught my eye. Tiny
points of light, SHINING like Jewels,
crowned the hill for few moments,
then disappeared. I called Ieuan, and
\ he and his companion were afoot In a
moment.
4 "a band of soldiers will be here In
a short time said I, land we must be
clear of this place before they come"
| How do you know?" asked Ieuan.
81 have seen the sunlight flashing on
their harness and steel caps in the dis
| tance."
| I'VE can keep them out the same as
1 the Others"
"rhey will come provided In different
fashion" I answered. "They will blow
| short work of us. 1t Is their trade, and
| the party is numerous"
"Well?" said Ieuan.
concluded Next Week.)
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