NEITHER STOREHOUSE HOB BARN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13450, 29 May 1907, Page 10

NEITHER STOREHOUSE HOB BARN.

[PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.] j

BY ALLEN BAIN'S, : ( v Author of "A Welsh Singer,". "By Berwen •- ,V Banks," " Torn Sails," "A Welsh r ■ Witch," " Queen of the Rushes," : , '••V''', etc., etc... ' -.7 1 j

ALL RIGHTS• RESERVED. ■ ;*- • ' ' -y [COPYRIGHT.} CHAPTER v.—(Continued). , ... V AVell," she. said, looking critically from one to the other, "the old mishteer is willing for me to show the house to quiet' people, and you are looking very re- : « -spectable, l miss vacli, and-you* machgen-i," she added, turning towards.''Gwil, "are ~, looking, very nice.and quiet, too." , " As quiet as a lamb," said Gwil. "Well, 'tis time for his tea, so come you then. But where will you sleep tonight; : ma'chgen~i? lr i : "Oh, at the nearest farm. lam always 'y; / .lucky." , • "Well, indeed, there's Wemoppa; they 'iUji' are very kind." Oh, yes, that will do," said Gwil, with a patronising air. 01 wen. went into raptures over the room in which she was to sleep; a long low room stretching out into the garden, with white-washed walls and wooden rafters, and a tiny latticed window round which the red roses and honeysuckle clustered. " Oh, 'twill be lonely to come back to this," she said, hanging her knapsack behind the door. Come, I am ready," and they started together down a narrow path, for which there was scarcely room between the garden and the river. • "I- can't think how we're going to cross," said Olwen, with the gay spirits of a child. Are we to jump or to swim, or to fly, Seba?" and laughing, the old- ' woman drew out .'roni a shed, a clumsy boat with a pair of oars. ' "One oar lam taking myself," she said. ' Perhaps he will help me," and she ■ . pointed with her thumb towards Gwil. ".What «s your name, machgen-i?" " Gwil is ray name," he said, blushing ' a little with fear lest she might question him further. "Of course I will take an '■ oar," and they crossed the smooth river, and landed where a' few orokeu . steps took : * them tip to a path, which led through the • wood to-the house. For some little dis- . tance they followed it, until .suddenly they emerged "on . a road which might once have j been a. carriage drive, but now, covered with "moss, looked like a green velvet clearing in the wood. " Oh !" exclaimed Olwen, softly, as they came in sight of the house. " Oh, what a dear old place!" / •. j Gwil said nothing, but walked on as if "in a dream. Had he ever seen this place before.'' Some' strange fancies' came . and j > went through his brain as they drew nearer < the house; memories that faded before he • .--could- grasp ; them, _ He ' knew;'• at - all ■ . events that her© his > mother, . whom lie * ; scarcely remembered,', had spent ' her , early : days, and the first years ,of her married - > life, and ithatWas. : enough -to endow - the , place with interest for 'him. ' ■ ". Entering the; door they were startled by . • aVSock,of doves, which having entered by __ a open window were pecking about on the stone floors Seba shooed them away,. ' _" n SL at . the window, r through which in the darkening twilight* V. ; Jh® "stars' -%Ere .tegiftuing to.-show. .The * Mil at-Rhosmor was a very ordinary apart- • ment, having neither!; groined roof, nor pillared arches,'-*nor yet fine .staircase to (- boast of. but such as it was, it had served 1 ; -aa- ther living -room' of many 'generations "of : Hugheses.>. The lads had kept their fish- ' ing rods and guns there, the lasses, their ". ■V 4 books and - work; they . had • - played in it, \ \ and danced in it-, and as they grew older 7 had wept in it,. too., and waited,. while the i = watchers upstairs . brought tidings of the ;- sick and dying. * .It had been the principal part of the dwelling in the rude, old ..-.. times, when ways were simpler, and wants - were fewer; now it was empty, and cold and bare, but Gwil saw nothing of this, for his attention was immediately drawn to ' . . a shrouded object at the further end of the room, and- crossing over to it, •he drew away the coverings, „and, disclosed a small ■ organ and seated himself eagerly at th,e . key-board. "May. I play?" he said, his fingers straying over the yellow keys. - .. - "If you can play nice," said Seba, "but, •! , oh, anwj, if■„you.'.can't, don't touch it." > - c "Can you blow. for me?" he asked. " a . "Yes, lam used .it," she said, "for sometimes the mishteer comes out to play. ' Play you, machgen-i, 'twill sound very sweet , .. up there in his room." : ; t , '• -- 01 web had - strayed away into' the empty passages, continually ejaculating,. "Oh, • - what a dear old .rambling place? oh, anwl ! there's: a cosy little room in here!" when, ■ --suddenly, r she" was - arrested by- the soft strains-of the organ, and listening intently;. with . bated breath,"and parted lips, she beard the same sweet -melody that had , -V drawn her through the woods of Coed du, and forgetting her interest in ; the empty chambers, she turned and followed the harmonies that were stealing through the old house, to find Gwil seated at the organ, his '. face lighted up with the rapt expression ; which* she had--sometimes observed - when i

he had drawn some unexpected and" Beautiful chord from his /meladone.. ' She approached him softly; and "almost reverently, . and dropping liis hands from the keys, he ceased playing. : .: "I only played that to call you!" he •said. "'-"-* I knew it would bring you." ; "Oh, yes, -indeed," she .said, '"go on,' ~; Gwil, I beg of you." • v, "Go you to the window seat, or it-will , be too loud for .you," and, obeying,- she -' sat there in the twilight, leaning her head v-;i.' against the old panels while Gwil played ;■••'■.: on and filled the air. with music, - giving himself up to a delight long denied : him, but which could never lose its hold ; upon. "him.' '.' What did he - play? Old chords.. of -remembered studies, a mingling of Gregorian / chants, of B fugues, of rapsodies,- '■ all linked ■■together.' by some ancient-Welsh/ ' melody; everything! anything from the - ■ stores '.'of,.memory .'-that'- would serve to ex- -'" press the music, that, was so. strong a passion in his nature. . / ' It, was long since he had last sat at the , organ, but well he availed himself of the __ present opportunity. He had an undefined feeling of some great, change in his nature - since he v had last playednew i ///■•■:'■ hopes, new fears were in his heart, visions i "~' of success, of wealth perhaps, the usual I dreams of youth; and through them all the golden thread of love and romance wove its patterns of beauty. .. He .poured his whole soul into the music, and Olwen ■'; . sitting there in the deepening twilight, - the bats flitting outside the casement, the soft shadows of ' night falling around her, ■-'.:■:.!' was wrapt in a happy reverie, entirely •carried away by the music. How beauti- ; ful was the, world !, How entrancing those ; .-• strains! ■>'How- happy would- she be-to ; roam for ever through these .shadowy • glades, to , listen • to the flowing of the river -behind the .trees, and to the: singing .J"of the birds; to return to this old house, and hear those melting strains—but Gwil, "i .' where ..would': he be? -V- I '-/!- ,''-''.-\ V ; - : .% : ■=' ''■"• ... Well, .without him there would be ;no music! .. And i with a pang or regret she called to mind that ere long they two must part—-must- ■ take" ~ thsir / separate ways J through life. '" - L ■ ;; : The music was dying away in soft; wail- - . ing notes, and dreamy-chords, which awoke within ,her. such, a:.;prjeSehtiinelit"::of -.pj projching loss and parting, that the tears rose to her eyes, and she let them course ; each other down her; cheeks. ; - : The music ceased, Gwil's hands dropped -from- the keys, " and Olwen looked round " to' discover" the 'cause'.' " The old room had though" down the -centre- a shaft of moonlight .;wa&^ streaming ;'.' beyond' the organ a doorway, opened into a dark passage, .and.-* standing, at the'opening she was startled jo see a, shadowy figure bent and grey, his white face dimly visible through the gloom. CHAPTER VI. „ :. , FEBA. '" ','.: Gwil bad apparently seen the grey figure at' the doorway, for he started to his feet ; with a hasty- apology;' while Olwen sat on ' unobserved in" the deep window, jseut,.. . '•--- '■•■-: • .;■;.-, ...

"I beg your pardon, sir," said GwiL "I am afraid -I have taken a great liberty-— but, indeed, seeing the organ, I could not resist it." . " You love it so much ?" said the old man, lin a hollow, far-away voice. "Yea, yes,. I can;imagine that," and drawing, nearer, he stood in the * full stream' of the T moonlight as 'ifv unconscious of •■■: it, : and : Olwen saw that he was tall, and old, and stooping in the shoulders, * and' that his. head was crowned with snow-white hair. " Yes, yes," he said, in a jerky mariner, and holding out his- nervous, trembling hands towards Gwil, > "Play- 1 again, go on, don't stop, .1 always longing for it,, and so seldom do I hear it, so seldom," he repeated, while Gwil, reassured, ;; sat down again, and began to play. All! how he played! For Gwil Parry's = nature ; was saturated with a passion for music, as many of his: forbears had ; been. How- the swelling tones that filled the hall reached the I hearts of his listeners,!, The old man, perhaps physically weary, sat down on the stairs, where in the shadow only his face, and the crown of white hair were visible. ■ '• • * Olwen sat on as if spell-bound, while Gwil, gliding from one melody to another, ■seemed to wander through the whole range of;'his musical memories, and" the' time slipped by unheeded. ■"Go on, go on," the old man said, when sometimes the player seemed inclined to bring his music to an end, until he stopped in reality, and, rising, said: "Thank you very much, sir, for letting me play, I have enjoyed it." : - ■ "And I," said.the old man, "I too—but why must you stop?" .-' "It is late," said Gwil, "and I have yet to find lodgings for the night." "Lodgings for the night exclaimed Abel Hughes, for, of course, it was he who had thus been attracted', by .the music, here." Seba," he called, isn't there a bed "Dear, dear! But surely there is a bed here for the voung man?'' and Seba appeared round the corner of the organ with a smile, half of amusement,' and half of pity upon her gentle face. . "No, /no, mishteer . bach," .she. said. "Don't you remember There are plenty ;of. empty rooms here, but no beds one or two old sofas; perhaps.",,./ "Oh,, that would do for me," said Gwil, eagerly,:catching;at the idea of spending a night, at Ehosmor./ "I can sleep anv° where." :./•'•;•/ ;//;■"■-:.; •/■;./:. :'/:/■.■■■: "Well,: well, but only a sofa," said the old, man, distressed.' -" I. cannot allow that —dear, dear Isn't there a bed in Jenifer's room? And there's the red room ; couldn't he sleep there?" .. "No, sir," said Sheba, "no bed at all; but there's plenty of quilts for him on the Sofa.'/;- ■ ■ . _ - . . ■:/. . . _ " That will be splendid," said Gwil, "and I will be very thankful to be spared seeking, for a lodging." /" Oh, Certainly, my dear sir," said the simple old man,- "if you can put up with such poor accommodation." > " "And we can have some more music tonight, if you please," ;said Gwil, /'and a little to-morrow morning before I start." ■ "Start!"' said Abel Hughes. "Where are you going? Why can't you stay here and play to me?" - v ' • - ' '-Gwil smiled:;; "I wish I could, but I am on my way to, Liverpool, and from there to America. . ■_"Ts,-ts!" said the old man. . "What a pity—but there, sit down and play again " end to please him Gwil let his fingers roam i over the keys once more. 'Twas the " Moon-1 light;, Sonata" • now/ that was /streaming ] through the old house,\ until with the: last chords Seba said, "I must take miss vach ! home": . . : i . ... ~■; y - , -r_ x . ■ ..;■■ j At the words " miss vach" old Abel i Hughes seemed to awake suddenly from a dream; - and catching sight ?of the ; girl's I figure, seemed to shrink into himself and 1 withdrew more into the shadow. , • '."■'. ,; ■": I .-/"" I" will, go i' arid : row --. them across '/the river," said .Gwil.;. ..;■■.■■-'"'■■■'■ / I "Well, well! Come back." I "Yes, sir, I promise. To sleep on this I sofa, and to .give you some music in the morning," : and • Seba, disappearing for a | moment, re turned with a rug and a quilt. i "Oh, 'twill be splendid," said Gwil, "a j bathe in the river in the morning, and some i music before I start. What could a king want !more? And what could he have better?" .. //•'■':'://: i:: ': A ' '/ : '/:: > :/::/:'J "Only his breakfast," said Seba, laughing, "and that you shall have with miss I vach and me, because mishteer here, doesn't get up till twelve." * " Perhaps I will to-morrow," said the old man, dreamily. "You see I never have anything to call me up, but perhaps I won't, and if not, ; good-bye,, lie said, ; extending a long,; thin hand towards Gwil.

.."Thank you so much, sir." ■• ". " Thank you, sir," said the old man, " you will give me some music before you go?" ;■'<;';' . ,;■;" Most. certainly," said Gwil, and they; left Abel Hughes sitting there alone in 'the moonlight. V; He heaved a long •- sigh. as they disappeared, and outside ; on the grass velvet road Olwen drew a long sigh, too. > "If you could . only have stayed on here and played to, the old man, there's nice it would have beenl" :;,r -~-.' . "", "Yes," if you could have satoor at .the window." ; ■-■ , ,!- .-V * :.-

/ "Oh, indeed, it was beautiful," she. said, as they followed Seba ; down .to the river. "I didn't :• know: you could•;play like i that; it seemed as if you were speaking to us," and there was a little tremor in her voice. /" Well, I suppose when you love music j very much, you express through it .what you ..cannot put into words," said Gwil.K ; •: " Yes, I suppose;. .great thoughts and beautiful dreams."

~" Yes, ' and— hope. Olwen, I was trying to: speak to you; but I'm afraid you did not understand my message." "Well, indeed," ; said Olwen, stooping, to gather a flower to hide a blush which spread over her ■■• face, " 'twas beautiful ■■■ whatever, Gwil." > ■ - ",.-.>;•: ■-

- They had reached the river's bank, and Seba was already getting into the boat and taking her oar. , Gwil, too, stepped in and held out his hand to Olwen, but she sprang in lighten after him; some subtle embarrassment making her avoid the proffered help. Gwil -»saidi nothing, but took his oar :silently. v ■."•■'■' -;-■" : /';-"/---' 1 '.' Oil, what a night !" said the girl. " The 'moonlight was flooding the brown river with silver. .Under the trees the shadows were dark and still; from the..misty meadowy- on the other side came the call of a corncrake.

"Let ! us float down the stream a little way, Gwil, and there's nice the meladone 'would be," she said, and slipping it over his shoulders Gwil played a few long-drawn chords. % "Let us sing, then,/'-The Star on the River,'" their voices blended together on the night air. ' Olwen sat/ quietly in- the stern, a flood of strange feelings ; if not thoughts laying a mysterious' spell of silence upon her. Seba moved an oar occasionally when the boat shifted too - near the bank, and the water hens splashed ' out -from - their nests behind the rushes; the round moon hung over them, and the flow of the river came softly on the breeze. ■ -. • • - '

" Well, my little children," said Seba at last, " we must turn and go home, for we can't live upon music,' though in' my deed it will-make- up for the loss of many things. You see, I have always been living with the family of . Hughes at Rhosmor, and they were all full of music."

"Were they?" said Gwil, eagerly. J "Oh, yes," she said, shaking-her head, "every one of them, even old mishteer had a fine voice, and it is making me shocking sorry sometimes to see him sitting ' down to the organ alone, and playing his old tunes till am tired of blowing. Come, we must turn." ■

When- they reached the little gate under the cottage. Gwil "said, "now you are safe I will go T back to Rhosmor, "perhaps the old man expects me."/ "Wait till we fetch you some bread and cheese, machgen-i," said Seba, and running into /the house, she returned with a hunch of both, which Gwil thrust into his pocket. "Good night, then," he said, before beginning to . scull himself across 'the river. "Have ' I said anything to offend you, 01wen? /' Your face is so serious." / ; "Oh, no, indeed. ; How could, that be? Good night,!' she said, in a voice that did not seem quite .as steady as usual, and she repeated, "Good night, Gwil," when he .was lialf-across the river. ■ " Call back from the other side," . said Seba, "then we will know you are safe," and soon came a clear "hoi, hoi!" from the opposite bank, and they turned to the cottage satisfied, v -<v .•■-. *-.''■■:. ■ 'v^d k fee continued on, Saturday next.)