The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-26
Copyright, 1908. by the National Pros
ACaprvN

Agency.)
Mrs. Evans,th landlady OF the Castle
Arms. stood, smiling. in her doorway
She was a buxom welshwoman, good.
llooking and good tempered. and the
1.-TWO guests who were leaving her were
assuring her. with truth that they had
been very comfortable during their
stay at her house, the principal hotel
OF Castle Dolwen.
These two young men were on a
walking expedition through North
Wales, and they had Just been asking
her for some directions for their days
Journey.
you'll ind the first four or five
miles dull perhaps, sir" Mrs. Evans
said. addressing Sir Richard Abre. the
younger of the two men. But press
on, and you'll come into as pretty
bit OF country as there is in Wales
wild and lonesome enough to be thou
sand miles away, and pretty enough
for you to find plenty of pictures to
make
And she glanced from the small hand
camera which the baronet carried to
the sketching materials which formed
part OF the equipments OF his cousin.
Eodwin Candover
Thanks said both young men to-
Eether. And Sir Richard added: How
Tar do you call 1t to Aberdolwen?"
We'll. sir. don't rightly know: for
II depends much upon the way you
strike through the hills. But It's not
less than fourteen and not much above
sixteen miles. whichever way you go.
4nd such roughgoing, part of the way.
that you'll have hard work to reach
Aberdo,wen before dark. long as the
days are now"
ooh. but we don't mean toEeach 1t
tonight. you know" struck in Can
dover. I'VE mean to break the jour
ncy. find some farmhouse or cottage
among the hills, where we can spend
The night"
II suppose there's no inn on the
way?" said Sir Richard.
No place you could stay at. sir
said Mrs Evans. rather hastily. There's
wretched little place about half way.
that's not more than n beer house"
ooh, thatll do for u.s." interrupted sir
Richard I'VE don't mind roughinE 1t.
L One can't expect to find house like
yours in the wilds, you know, Mrs.
Evans
But the landlady's face grew grave
But you mustn't stop at the Reeses'
place. Sir Richard she said. decidedly.
You must press on and reach Aber-
dolwen tonight. Or. falling that,
knock up one of the farmers-you'llI
find a small farm or two as you get
further on-and get nights lodging
: from one OF them"
But what's the matter with the
Recess placer" persisted he.
oh, we'll. it's no place for such as
you gentlemen. They're folks that
think more OF clematis and roses over
the porch than what they do of clean
beds and well-aired sheets inside the
house said Mrs. Evans. "let alone
that the accommodation is not fit forl
decent people. I beg, gentlemen, that
you won't think of staying there
She seemed disappointed. IL not alb
soiutely worried, that they would not
give her promise to avoid the Reeses
dwelling: and when the cousins had
started on their way. Sir Richard laugh
ed at what he called her trade ieaI-
ousy."
Goodwin candover. however, was more
curious as 10 her reason. I'VE good
mind" said he, ITO go back and ns,,
the ostler II he knows anything about
the Rees~ place
Although his cousin thought this
rather waste OF time Candover per-
sisted and, returning quickly to the
yard o. the Castle Arms. asked the old |
man VINO was rubbing down horse |
iAs!ae the gateway TO tell him which /
way 10 take across the hills in order
TO pass the house kept by the Recess.
The old man looked up with grin.
The Reeses' place. repeated he.
"hy, then, you must go 10 the left
Hnen you've crossed the bridge after
lhs hrst three miles, and by the LIyn
Valley. But don't you stop the nigh,
there sir. IL you don't want TO ge, a
bite from the grey dog"
) Cancovsr was on the alert at once
ior a story. But at that very mo-
ment Mrs. Evans. who had, perhaps. |
overheard. the old mans words. called
TO him ,FM:Eply from the Office door
WaE' and capdo~er, seeing that he
was TO learn no more, went through
the gateway and rejoined his cousin
with just this little bit OF tlttle-tattls
to excite his curiosity.
the grey dog. eh2" said Sir Rich
ard, eagerly. Now we've got hold of
something; real Cymric legend. no
doubt; something nice and creepy. to
make tale for winter freside
Come on we must hunt up tho
Reeses and the grey dog. If we die
So. urged forward by the fresh
stimulus this given, they Increased
thelr pace, and We're soon at the end
st'' my go -5iiiits Oh BtfAlEht road.
and across the bridge of Llyn.
It was when they were well In the
.heart of the hilly country, keeping to /
the left. as the 'ostler had directed.
that they came across the first native
who spoke English sufficiently we'll to
hold conversation in that Language. /
He told them all they wished to know |
about the road and the river: but when
they asked about the grey dog he
became suddenly tac!ture. Having ad.
m!tted that he had heard of the grey
dog of Liyn. he would own TO no |
further knowledge
He had not been long in these parts.
The knew nothing about the Reeses,
nothing about tho dog There was a !
dog. he believed, spoken of in the
.reighborhood. but whether 1t was n |
Legendary animal or living one. or
The sign OF an inn, he was wholly un-
aware.
Il "That man was lying" said candover
70 his cousin. as they went on.
II think So said Sir Richard. "Itl
struck ME he knew more than no pre-
sended. 1t makes one all the more
anxious TO call at this house. doesn't
ATS