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[ A II flights Reserved ] CANTREV Y GWAELOD: OR THE STORY THE LOST HUNDRED OF CEREDIGION A WELSH HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY. By the author of the "Flower of Brynafalau." CHAPTEH V I. CONVALESCENT. Hardly had the sound of Tomas's footsteps died siway, e.c the mm came running up armed with sticks, and baring n. lanthorn. Eloort-bf.-nrjeared though the features were, they had r.o (Lffijnliy it, ^'otnising that the wounded man was Maelgwyn Gwynedd. Ten^ei*/ they raised the, as they supposed, hfe- less body, from the grouted, and proceeded to carry it to the farmhouse, which its unfort«oate owner had quitted so shortly beftvre m the fun vigour aoo pride ofmnnrood. Casting rainy a conjecture as to by wbrim. a; d for what purpose he bad been thus grievously assaulted enri murdered, they for a time cof p'fit-rK) how they should break the news to their youUf: mistress. pouring rain, however, warned them that they must quickly 'eon»ey iheir helpless burden into the house, ere, if he were ahve, the Izat spark of life should ebb «way. Wh. n they h-ad nearly reached the house, they deputed od^ of th"1r aumber to run forward and break the sad trews as ,autioupily as he could. At the floor of tbe house he was met by his'young mistress, who excitedly s»id, "It is Gwynedd. I kno* it is Tell me ^uiek, wbat is it? Is he tle^d 1 Who did it?" The bewildered man had hardly time to fcree her into the room before the men bearing the body entered. Oh. roy'Sod !"sfciieked the terrified girl, It is Gwynedd," and f. 11 fainting-on the Boor. While the men placed the body of Gwynedd on a b. d, several of the maid servants conveyed their migtn s, to the bedchamber. wheie, for a long time, she lay unconscious of all around hot. She had no sooner, however, recovered from one fit of uncon- sciousreE-3 ere she lapsed into another, and for a time the p, rpl, xed gi tis thought she must surely die, so d?afh-)ike was her appearance. The pulse bad ceased to heat,the features had assumed that rigidity of appearance characteristic of death, and her eyes a glassy hup. Terri'iicd almost out of their wits, the girls set up a most unearthly shrieking, which drew to the spot the father of Vwryno. Seeing the state she was in. he wrung his hands in an iL-ny of despair, and cried. Ob, my child Oh, my child She has gone ob, heaven*, what shall 1 do Tears streamed down his furrowed cheeks, and the intensity of hisgriefshook hiis very frame In fact, so piteous an object did he appear, that the girls, who had by this time somewhat recevered from their terror,'forced htm from the ro°tn he helpless as a child, and sobbing most bittwfly. Returning to the prostrate Vwryno, the maids re- doubled their exertions, and at the expiration of half a" bofr or thereabouts, they had the satisfac- tion of seeing her open her eyes, and then drawing a deep sigh, ask "Where arm I? What has been the matter ? You have been ill," answered one of her faithful attendants "Ton must keep quiet, or you will be "worfee aeain." Ah 1 I remember! 'Where is my Owynedd ?" she suddenly cried out. Re is dead I saw them any him in." Tenderly the girls endeavoured to soothe her, telling her he was not dead, but only wounded, though poor creatures they felt they were only do- ceiving her. "I must po to him." cried Vwryno, as she strug- gled to free herself from bar attendants. Let me go T' The exertion, after her late fit, proved too much for ber, find-she fell bact: unconscicus once more, but the fit this time was *of but short duration, her natorallyrobust naturevroving waster, and she re- covered consciousness again, and commenced weeping bitterly. "'€>&, Gwynedd," she moaned, ,"Why Aid-yo)u not rem-ein? 'Oh, that I milght die with you." These worls she repeated again and again. In the front room we left our hero in the care of the farm servants, who, having laid him down, pro- ceeded witfc the utmost tenderness to hind up his wounds, and with the meana at command to stop the blood. On examiEiBg him they found that, in ndditioa to thl wound 011 the arm, there were several Revere wounds on the skull, and one on the fore- head, In their work they>were assisted by an old woman from the village, for wheaa one ofthe men had been despatched, and who, to all inteats and purposes, -was the village practioner Rongh and simple thoachhersurtrerywas. it had the desired effect of stopping the bleeding, and thus saved the life of Gwynedd, who, but for the timely assistance she had rendered, must inevitably have bled to death. The Ibss-of blood, atad rhe serious wounds OR bis head, brought on a delirious fever, from which he di,i not recover for the space of nearly three weeks, duviorthe whole of which time he was most tenderly and careftilly nursed by the never tiring Vwryno. Mean-wlw'le every available means was adopted to discover the base perpetrator of the outrage, but to no effect. So carefuMy had Tomas laid his plans, that on the night of the assault he was supposed to be at home, in fact bad not been tnixsed by the do- mestics, though he WK absent several houra. When he had reached the farm, and quietly and "unobserv«d!y entered the house, Tomas set aboot devising some plan of-eecape, in tbe event of bis not having-finished his rival. At first, flight suggested itself to his mind, but frhia he decided would not de, as he wooM speedily be followed and brought back, for in those days, difficult as iooetnotion was with mny degree of speed, news of such a murderous out- rage got spread about is a most warveWusly short space of time, probably owing to its rarity, for be it said to their credit, the Welsh were not in those day3 given to such dastardly work, and even now the news-of-a murder in Wales is sufficient to send a thrill of terror all through the Principality, but as In these days, so in tbedays gee. by, there were Welthaaen who, to gain ",rown -cads, would stop at tithing, but they were and are the exception. Knowing that he should soon be discovered and brought baek ,>h# determined to rduin and brave it out, whatever the consequences might be. He <ooB hftaru to his chagrin that Gwynedd was alive, and vvbcd (Jay after day pwssd without any sign that bp bad di«ulffM) the maxae of tt" assailant, Tomasibegan tOobr.athe move freely, and imagined that fear prevented Gwynedd denouncing hiin, for be it..understood twan «f the fever that bad overtalsen him, and that its was then teasing about in tlbe del iriuln a fever. So the .time paaeed t>y, an<| «q« bright morning Vwryno ••as .pleased beyond expression to see her charge.open his wearily look roand at her, ttmile peacefully, and fall atte<p, from which be awoke in hiia right w, i n d "Where Mn I ? What hllll tteen the matter? How long hawe I beeo here ? he asked when he again awoke. As sft.ørbly ,N she couild V wryno Telateel to him all 4bat bad -passed, from tiie time be .811 brought into the house in ao dangerous a state. Is JiJut." she said, YoM muKt not talk raich, or yet will be worse anc' delirium will return." Not now." ho said. I feel I am much better again. DM I .ay any thifle while I have been ill ?" «> v S'>' a",i<wei'«d she, "You said a great deal. a.tked he, "What I want to know is whethfT I n,tntioned any names u ",p"Ke a great rleal," .said Vwryno, about W^° bas so .injured you ?" • '.ai gwynedd, a paiueo expression passing over his <'esanieuHnce. r!'fi as fflaue'1> what was his motive ? qttora a v wry no, surprigedly. ~H' VT ^et'i at,sw<jr(d iif>. love beaming- out l:i-s >a< bu n nH«rc tort.'iinafe than he, ar»*.l p OA ° the dean Htjvjri jn the village. J 1 r oi 5 T, WC¡¡;,¡ never }„.v« hnd I ir.n." n<: .'1 T f, ( 1: 1 (\ Mm a fact 1 whii ii 1,e if t "• br" 1 u .t, h-.i.tv r. 'S tiiotiv. her companion answ.r.f] anr> tJJ• n nbrur?:y asked, "])ots ar,y one el.t bJ(,w? lb- >u } oki- t Ise ht ard what I s-ud "whi r I # ';8 delirious ? f-he answered, bnvc att¡ ndu! you a1! I the time." }.J) p"ordariinc" said Cnynfdd. "How tired you aiu-t be. I fp"r I soall haYc to nurse you when 1 am strong agaiti." Oh, no, you will not," she answered, laughingly. I am all right now. I have heard you speak once more, though," she addr-d, with a shuddt r, at one time I thought I thouhi never have heard you speak again." "And would it have troubled you much ?" he asked. 'I shall not --iswer you any more questions," replied Vwryno,, blushing, "You say, said Gwynedd, "that no one but yrurselfheiurf. me speak of Tomas. I am glad of that. a\'h no ill feeling against hiin, and seeing u i.aIU s^)ar^» aQd still have you, it would per- haps be 'A'k well not to let the fiet become known. It was a lituf jealousy that made him attack me. '•MVh fB»°'te" an'r ODe' w'" y°u'darling ? let him go free?" said Vwryno, astonished. J Yes," he answered, what good could it do me or you if he were banished from the village, or if hiafelood were shed ? It would be no satisfaction. iou really must promise what I ask." ery ruluctamly, and after much persuasion, was Ywryno compiled to yield the required promise to her lover, much as she would have liked to see Tomas shown up iu his true colours and punished as his crime deserved that he should be. It will be a greater punishment to him," said Gwynedd, to take no notice. He well knows I recognised his voice on that fearful uight." At this point Ywryno insisted on her charge ceas- iDg speaking, or," said she, I shall leave you." Whether or not she would have carried her threat into execution, we cannot say, but she carried her point, and had the satibfaction of soon seeing him otice more asitep. In a few days more he was able to get up, and soon began to regain his strength. iriends and companions poured in to congratu- late him, but no entreaties prevailed on him to divulge the name of his cowardly assailant, a fact which soon reached the ears of that individual, who, though inwardly thankful, and much relieved there at, was greatly puzzled to linow the cause. (7o be Continued.)

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LLANBADARN FAWR.

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HETERODOXY AND TEETOTALISM-

AN APPEAL.

THE TREATMENT OF NATIVE CATTLE.

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