ended. I forthwith started up and ran
down, followed by several other guests, who came rushing out of their
chambers round the corridor. At the gate we saw a man on the ground and
the hound trying to strangle him. It was with the greatest difficulty,
and chiefly through the intervention of the master of the dog, who
happened to be present, that the animal could be made to quit his hold.
The assailed person was a very powerful man, but had an evil countenance,
was badly dressed, and had neither hat, shoes nor stockings. We raised
him up and gave him wine, which he drank greedily, and presently, without
saying a word, disappeared. The guests said they had no doubt that he
was a murderer flying from justice, and that the dog by his instinct,
even at a distance, knew him to be such. The master said that it was the
first time that the dog had ever attacked any one or shown the slightest
symptom of ferocity. Not the least singular part of the matter was, that
the dog did not belong to the house, but to one of the guests from a
distant village; the creature therefore could not consider itself the
house's guardian."

I had scarcely finished my tale when the other man came in and said that
he had found a guide, a young man from Pont Erwyd, who would be glad of
such an opportunity to go and see his parents, that he was then dressing
himself, and would shortly make his appearance. In about twenty minutes
he did so. He was a stout young fellow with a coarse blue coat, and
coarse white felt hat; he held a stick in his hand. The kind young
book-keeper now advised us to set out without delay, as the day was
drawing to a close and the way was long. I shook him by the hand, told
him that I should never forget his civility, and departed with the guide.

The fine young girl, whom I have already mentioned, and another about two
years younger, departed with us. They were dressed in the graceful
female attire of old Wales.

We bore to the south down a descent, and came to some moory, quaggy
ground intersected with water-courses. The agility of the young girls
surprised me; they sprang over the water-courses, some of which were at
least four feet wide, with the ease and alacrity of lawns. After a short
time we came to a road, which, however, we did not long reap the benefit
of, as it only led to a mine. Seeing a house on the top of a hill, I
asked my guide whose it was.

"Ty powdr," said he, "a powder house," by which I supp