Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

92 RHYS LEWIS.
paused. He snatched up his gun, and, taking his pipe from his
mouth, paused to listen attentively. The silence was simply
opiiressive. Next minute he gave a vigorous pull at his pipe, as
if fearing the fire would go out, and then took to listening
attentively once more. I fancied I heard footsteps advancing,
quickly along the path by which I had come. The Irishman
drew his hat down tightly over his head, and I heard, at
no great distance off, a low signal whistle. Without saying a
word, my strange companion jumped to his feet, cleared the
hedge at a bound, and disappeared into the wood. Simulta-
neously I, like a frightened stag, was diminishing the distance
between that spot and our house. A bullet would hardly have
overtaken me. On reaching the highway, I stopped to take
breath, and heard first one gun-shot and then another,
followed by shouting and a disturbance. I proceeded quickly
along, and almost directly met my brother Bob, to whom,
briefly, I related what had occurred. He, on his part,
warned me not to say a word to mother or anyone else ou
the subject, adding, that the time had now come when I ought
to know that which had hitherto been kept from me, and that
he would tell me all when we were in bed. He fulfilled his
promise, and I his command, for, from that day to this, I have
never mentioned a word to any living soul of what took plaoe
on that night near the Hall park.
Said I not appropriately that Seth's acquaintance had formed
an epoch in my history? How much more, by the morrow, did
I know about my family ; and, let me hope, how much better a
bov had I become !
CHAPTER XIV.
WILL BRYAN.
Seth's funeral was the first I ever was at, and such have been
the changes introduced in connection with this ceremony during
the last thirty years, that I have thought it might not be un-
interesting to note a few facts in relation thereto. About that
period the more enlightened Methodists of shire were