of course, in his own and his uncle's opinion was quite out of the
question; and so the matter was settled.

* * * * * *

One day there was great excitement at Garthowen.

"Well, Bendigedig!" [1] said Magw under her breath, as crossing the
farmyard she met Mr. Price the vicar making his way through the stubble
to the house-door, "well, Bendigedig! there's grand we are getting.
Day before yesterday a lady on horseback, to-day Price the vicare
coming to see the mishteer! Well, well! Oh, yes, sare," she said
aloud, in answer to the vicar's inquiry, "he's there somewhere, or he
was there when I was there just now, but if he is not there he must be
somewhere else. Ann will find him."

And she jerked her thumb towards the house as Mr. Price continued his
way laughing.

"I am come again," said the genial vicar, shaking hands with Ebben
Owens, whom he found deeply studying the almanac, "I am come to
congratulate you on your son's good fortune. I hear he has been given
the living of Llanisderi, and I think he will fill it very well. You
are a fortunate man to have so promising a son and such an influential
brother, and I expect you will be still better pleased with the rest of
my news. He is going to preach at Castell On next Sunday."

Ebben Owens gasped for breath.

"Will!" he said, "my son Will? Oh! yes, he is a good boy, indeed, and
is he going to preach here on Sunday? Well, well, 'twill be a grand
day for me!"

"Yes," said Mr. Price, "I hear he is a splendid preacher, and I thought
'twas a pity his old friends in this neighbourhood should not hear him,
so I asked him, and he has agreed to come. You must all come in and
hear him--you too, Mrs. Morris, and your husband."

"My husband," said Ann, drawing herself up a little, "will have his own
services to attend to; but on such an occasion I will be there
certainly."

"Well, you must all dine with me," said the hospitable vicar.

"No, no, sir," said Ebben Owens, "I'll take the car, and we'll bring
Will back here to dinner. We'll have a goose, Ann, and a leg of mutton
and tongue."

"Yes," said Ann, smiling, "Magw will see to them while we are at
church."

Mr. Price stayed to tea this time, and satisfied the old man's heart by
his praises of his son. On his departure Ebben Owens sat down at once
to indite a letter to Will, informing him of the great happiness it had
given him to hear of his intention to preach at Castell