Welsh Journals

behaved as one in a trance, his eyes staring out of his head. The preacher, of course, was Wil- liams Bontddu, sternly reprimanding him for his wickedness, and writing his name in indelible black ink on the Book of Judgement. And now Williams Bontddu was poking him in the side, bidding him stand up to sing the hymn. He must do something to escape this terrible policeman. Well, supposing he were to go and confess everything to Mrs. Tomos; she might forgive him after all. He would. How he wished the service would end in order that he might achieve his purpose, and so find peace of mind again. But no, it was Williams Bontddu prolonging his agony. And it was no good praying. In fact, he could not pray. Williams Bontddu had seen to that. At last the benediction, and now the good folk were! streaming away from the chapel. Dai skulked along by himself until he reached the cart-house of the Red Lion Hotel. There, hidden among the carts. wheelbarrows, and pitchforks, he resolved to bide his time until he saw an opportunity for a moment's quiet talk and ex- planation with Mrs. Tomos. It was not to be, however. One of the hotel servants was making a tour to see that all was well for the night. Dai. fearing it might be Williams Bontddu, made a movement to conceal himself more effectually. In doing so he acci- dentally broke a rake. The noise this made drew the servant's attention to the cart-house. Poor Dai was discovered again, and taken before Mrs. Tomos, with the words- Here is Dai Dolcarreg, who, not content with stealing apples, is now stealing rakes from the cart-house." Surely Williams Bontddu will be after you to-morrow, my boy," was Mrs. Tomos' rejoinder. Dai escaped into the night and made his way back to the farm where he was living as a gwas bach." But there was no sleep for Dai that night. There was Williams Bontddu peer- ing in at him through the window and rattling a pair of handcuffs. Only the wind plaving with the window sashes, and a curious cat on its way to the chimney pots, but a bov with a guilty conscience thinks not of cats or windows or winds, but onlv of bie bulky policemen with names like Williams Bontddu." Dai was up at dawn, for that dav at Dolcarreg Farm was to be an important one. Some rela- tives from another part of Carmarthenshire were expected to pay a call, and everything was being The Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions of contributors to The Welsh Outlook.' Editorial responsibility is limited to the views expressed in the Notes of the Month." Manuscripts sent should be accompanied by a stamped and addressed envelope. prepared to impress upon these people how pros- perous the Joneses of Dolcarreg were. Thus the gwas bach was sent forth at 6 a.m. to dig potatoes for the mid-day meal. Somehow Dai could not get on with his string. Williams Bontddu was lurking in the potato field ready to seize him at any moment. And there, indeed, he was coming towards him, clad in his navy blue uniform; and without taking a second look, which would have told him that it was only a collier from South Wales dressed in one of the double-breasted blue suits which were then fashionable in Glamorgan, Dai bolted. On and on he ran until he reached a pool of evil fame, which was reputed to be bottomless, for in it were cast all carcases of horses and other animals. Near its banks Dai cowered, resolved that if Williams Bontddu approached he would throw himself into its bottomless depths rather than allow himself to fall into the hands of that dread man. All day long Dai remained in hiding on the fringe of the pool. His nerves were strung to their highest pitch, every little sound, whether chirp of bird or crack of twig startling him. At nightfall the hunted lad stole from his place of concealment and crept towards Dolcarreg. He dared not enter the farmhouse after his desertion of the potatoes in the early morning, and so decided to spend the night in a havloft. Once there, he covered himself with hay, and tried-but in vain-to get some sleep. Presently Tom Jones entered the stable to groom his favourite horse, and was soon joined bv an old woman who wished to buy chickens and butter to take to Carmarthen market. Dur- ing the conversation, to all of which Dai was listening attentivelv the old lady asked after Dai, remarking how sorry she was to hear of his escapade, and hoping that all was well with him. I always liked old Dai. He is an innocent lad," was her comment. Cold comfort to a boy whom Williams Bontddu had in his iron grip. Then Tom, wishing to give his horse a feed, ascended to the loft to get some hav, and in grasping a handful caught hold of Dai's foot. Hullo! Hullo! he said grufflv, here vou are at last, my boy! but catching sight of Dai's sorrowful countenance his hard heart softened, and promising to see Mrs. Tomos early the following morning to explain matters to her, he led the boy back to the farmhouse.