carried away to the
eagle's nest by two fierce young eaglets untamed and untamable, there to
be left till the kites come down to carry off the prize.

"Ha! thou startest and changest colour! What is it thou fearest? Where
are Llewelyn and Howell and what have they done with the maid? What
kuowest thou, Griffeth?"

"I know nought," answered Griffeth, "save that Wenwynwyn has been up to
the commot of Llanymddyvri, and thou knowest what all they of that place
feel towards the English. Then Llewelyn and Howel have been talking of
late of the eagle's nest on the crag halfway thither, and if they had
named it to Gertrude she would have been wild to go and see it. We know
when Wenwynwyn sings his songs how he ever calls Maelgon ap Caradoc the
kite, and the lords of Dynevor the eagles. But, Wendot, it could not be
-- a child -- a maid -- and our father's guest. I cannot believe it of
our own brothers."

"I know not what to think, but my heart misgives me. Thou knowest what
Llewelyn ever was, and Howel is but his shadow. I have mistrusted this
strange friendship before now, remembering what chanced that first day,
and that Llewelyn never forgives or forgets; but I would not have
dreamed of such a thing as this. Yet, Griffeth, if the thing is so,
there is no time to lose. I am off for the crag this very minute. Thou
must quietly collect and arm a few of our stanchest men, together with
the English servants left here with their young mistress. Let all be
done secretly and quietly, and come after me with all speed. It may be
that we are on a fool's errand, and that our fears are groundless. But
truly it may be that our brothers are about to betray our guest into the
hands of one of England's most bitter foes.

"Oh, methinks were her father to return, and I had her not safe to
deliver back to him, I would not for very shame live to see the day when
I must avow to him what had befallen his child at the hands of my brethren!"

Griffeth was fully alive to the possible peril menacing the child, and
eagerly took his orders from his elder brother. It would not be
difficult to summon some dozen of the armed men on the place to
accompany him quietly and secretly. They would follow upon Wendot's
fleet steps with as little delay as might be, and would at least track
the fugitive and her guides, whether they succeeded in effecting a
rescue that day or not.

Wendot waited for nothing but to give a few directions to his brother.
Scarce te