eel bound for ever to a man who had so evidently forgotten her. If
sometimes the meanness and selfishness of his conduct dawned upon her
mind, the feeling was instantly repressed, and as far as possible
banished, in obedience to the instinct of loyalty to Garthowen, which
was so strong a trait in her character.

She turned again to look at her necklace in the pool, and caught sight
of a speck of vivid scarlet on the brow of the hill--another and
another. They were the huntsmen returning from their unsuccessful run,
for she had seen the breathless panting fox an hour before when he
crossed the moor and made for his covert on the rocky sides of the
cliffs. Once there, the hunters knew the chase was over. And there
were the tired hounds for a moment appearing at the bare hill-top. In
a few moments they had passed from sight, leaving the moor to its usual
solitude and silence. But surely no! Here was one stray figure who
turned towards the cliffs, and, alighting, led her horse down the
devious paths between the furze and heather. Such an uncommon sight
roused Morva from her dreams.

"Can I come down this way?" said a clear, girlish voice, as Gwenda
Vaughan drew near. She spoke in very broken Welsh, but Morva
understood her. "Does it lead anywhere?"

"It leads nowhere," said Morva, "but to the cliffs; but round there
beyond the Cribserth," and she pointed to the rugged ridge of rocks,
"is Garthowen; up there to the right is nothing but moorland for two
miles."

"Oh, then I will turn this way," said Gwenda. "Will they let me rest
at the farm a while, do you think? I am very tired and hungry."

"Oh, of course," said Morva, her hospitable instincts awaking at once.
"Come into mother's cottage," and she pointed to the thatched roof and
chimney, which alone were visible above the heathery knoll.

"Is that a cottage?"

"Yes--will you come?"

"Yes, just for a moment, and then perhaps you will show me the way to
the farm. That Cribserth looks a formidable rampart. Are you sure
there is a way round it?"

"Oh, yes; I will come and show you," said Morva. "Here is mother," and
Sara approached from her herb garden with round, astonished eyes.

"Well, indeed!" she said; "this is a pleasant sight--a lady coming to
see us, and on Morva's birthday, too! Come in, 'merch i, and sit down
and rest. The horse will be safe tied there to the gate."

And Gwenda passed into the cottage with a strange feeling of happiness