BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK. 169 



some abstruse way, known to Ellen and explained 

 by her at some length, the result of the day being 

 Sunday, as was also the attendance of the Arch- 

 Druid. We ventured a suggestion that we should 

 forego the latter privilege and ourselves drive the 

 stolid black mare, whose massive beam barely 

 filled the shafts ; but, with a contempt apparently 

 too deep for words, the Arch-Druid mounted to 

 the prow of the governess-cart as to a pulpit, and, 

 manipulating the mouth of the black mare with 

 the ceaseless, circular action of a hurdy-gurdy 

 grinder, started at a round pace for Llangollen. 



It was a nine-mile drive, and by the time the 

 eighth milestone had been passed, we began to 

 look for some startling development of the calmly 

 pretty valley of the Dee, along which we had 

 driven. Large, but by no means stupendous, 

 hills- swelled prosperous and green on either side 

 of it, pine -woods thatched them warmly and 

 liberally, the Dee was irreproachably devious in 

 its advance and charming in its manners, but no 

 climax was arrived at, nor yet was contrast lying 



