He bade them kill the
captive to amend the wrong done. I do not know what the wrong was."
I knew then that Owen had had a narrow escape, and but for the
fleetness of foot of Evan he would surely have been slain. I told
Howel of what had passed while he was absent, and so we came to the
hilltop, and I saw a little below me the white robes of the
captive, and Evan sitting by him, resting on his spear. He rose up
as we came to him.
"Has he spoken, Evan?" I said.
"Ay, Master," he answered, with a grin that minded me of other days
with him. "He says he will take us to the place where Owen lies, if
we will promise to spare his life."
"We will promise that," I answered. "We will let him go his own way
after we have seen all that we need."
"Let me rise, then," the man said quietly. "I will shew you all."
"Do not untie his hands, Evan, but let him walk," I said. "He is
not to be trusted, if he is like his master."
It was the elder of the two whom we had before us, and he seemed
downcast and harmless enough as we let him rise, though he was
unhurt. He had run on while the younger turned to stay the
pursuers, but Evan had caught him. He led us along the path, which
I suppose his own feet and those of Morfed had worn, unless it was
old as the menhir itself, and on the way he said suddenly:
"Let me ask one thing of you.
Pages:
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345