mised him! when?" said Gethin, trying to steady his voice.

"Oh, many times, many times; two nights ago, here, under this very
broom bush, I promised to be true and unchangeable."

"Is this true indeed, then? Hast promised thyself away from me?" said
Gethin, looking round as if dazed and stunned.

"Yes," she answered again, in a low voice. "Will asked me if I loved
him, and I said 'Yes, I love thee with all my heart, and I love
everyone at Garthowen the same, and would willingly give my life for
them.'"

"And what did he say to that?" asked Gethin in a scornful tone.

"He said, 'twas right I should feel like that, for they had all been
kind to me, ever since the sea cast me up here, a little helpless baby;
and he said 'twould ill repay their kindness to break his heart."

Gethin snatched at her hand hungrily.

"Will I tell thee, lass, what I would have answered if I had been Will?
I would have said, 'Love me, Morva, _more_ than all the others at
Garthowen; love me more than all the world beside; love me as I love
thee, girl! Nothing less will satisfy me; no riches, no worldly goods,
no joy, no happiness will be of any account to me if I have not all thy
love.'"

"Stop, Gethin, stop," said Morva, turning away.

But Gethin continued, still detaining her hands in his, "That is what I
would have said, Morva, if I were Will. Canst say nothing to me, lass?"

Morva had turned her face to the broom bush, and was sobbing with her
apron to her eyes.

"Why didst thou promise him?" Gethin said again, in a fierce tone.

"I promised him when I was a little girl, and ever since, whenever he
has asked me, I have said, 'Oh, Will, there is no need to say more, for
I have promised,'" and she turned slowly to move away; but Gethin drew
her back.

"Thou shalt not go," he said; "I cannot live without thee; all through
the long years I too have loved thee, Morva, ever since that day when I
tore myself from thy clinging arms and heard thee crying after me; but
because I was away, and could not tell thee of my love, I have lost
thee."

"I have promised," was all her answer.

"Well, then, I suppose there is nothing else to be said, and I must
live without thee; but 'twill be hard, very hard, lass. I thought--I
thought--but there; what's the use of thinking? I suppose I must say
'Good-bye.' Wilt give me one kiss before we part? No? Well, indeed,
an unwilling kiss from Morva would kill me, so fforwel, lass! At least
sh