om, who was one domm'd good magistrate and highly respectable
gentleman with whom they were going to dine the next day--for Tom I must
tell you was in the habit of giving the very best dinners in all Shire
Brecon--it might not be incompatible with the performance of their duty
to let the man off this one time, seeing as how the poor fellow had
probably merely made one slight little mistake. Well: to make the matter
short, the man was let off with only a slight reprimand, and left the
court. Scarcely, however, had he gone twenty yards, when Tom was after
him, and tapping him on the shoulder said: 'Honest friend, a word with
you!' Then the man turning round Tom said: 'Do you know me, pray?' 'I
think I do, your honour,' said the man. 'I think your honour was one of
the big wigs, who were just now so kind as to let me off.' 'I was so,'
said Tom; 'and it is well for you that I was the biggest of these big
wigs before whom you stood placed, otherwise to a certainty you would
have been hung up on high; but did you ever see me before this affair?'
'No, your honour,' said the man, 'I don't remember ever to have seen your
honour before.' Says Tom, 'Don't you remember one long time ago driving
a pair of oxen through Brecon for a man who stood scratching his head on
the road?' 'Oh yes,' says the man; 'I do remember that well enough.'
'Well,' said Tom; 'I was that man. I had stolen that pair of oxen, and I
dared not drive them through Brecon. You drove them for me; and for
doing me that good turn I have this day saved your life. I was thief
then but am now big wig. I am Twm Shone Catti. Now lookee! I have saved
your life this one time, but I can never save it again. Should you ever
be brought up before me again, though but for stealing one kid, I will
hang you as high as ever Haman was hung. One word more; here are five
pieces of gold. Take them: employ them well, and reform as I have done,
and perhaps in time you may become one big wig, like myself.' Well: the
man took the money, and laid it out to the best advantage, and became at
last so highly respectable a character that they made him a constable.
And now, my gentleman, we are close upon Tregaron."

After descending a hill we came to what looked a small suburb, and
presently crossed a bridge over the stream, the waters of which sparkled
merrily in the beams of the moon which was now shining bright over some
lofty hills to the south-east. Beyond the bridge was a