low as he clutched the old woman's hand and wrung
it unconsciously.

"What is it? not shame, Sara--say, woman, 'tis not shame that has come
upon him in his old age!"

Sara was embarrassed for the first time.

"Shame," she said, "in the eyes of men, is sometimes honour in the eyes
of God! Listen, Gethin--Dost remember the night of thy going from
Garthowen?"

He nodded with a serious look in his eyes.

"That night I had a dream; only, I was awake when I saw it. I was at
Garthowen in my dream, and I saw a dark figure entering Gwilym Morris's
room; he stooped down and opened a drawer, and took something out of
it. I could not see the man's face, but it was not _thee_, Gethin,
though thy sudden disappearance made them think at first, that thou
wert the thief; only Morva and I knew better. She heard a footstep
that night, and when she went out to the passage, she saw thee coming
out of that room. But she and I knew that it was not thou who took the
money. What dreadful sight met thee in that room, Gethin bach, we did
not know, but it was something that made thee reel out like a drunken
man."

"It was, it was," he answered, shuddering and covering his eyes with
his hands, as though he saw it still.

"'Twas a sight that shadowed the whole world to me, and has altered my
life ever since. Dei anwl! 'twas a sight I would give my whole life
not to have seen."

"I know it all now, my boy, and I know what thou must have suffered.
_'Twas thy father who took Gwilym Morris's money_. Sorrow and bitter
repentance have been his companions by day, and have sat by his pillow
at night, ever since he was tempted to commit that sin. He has become
thin, and haggard, and old. He confessed it all at the Sciet. And
think how hard it must have been for him to bring himself to tell it
all before the men who had thought so highly of him. 'Twas for Will's
sake, but 'twas you that he wronged, Gethin, and that is what is
breaking his heart."

"Me!" said Gethin. "Me? He is not grieving for me, is he? Poor old
man! he did me no wrong; 'twas I by going away, brought the dishonour
upon myself. And he confessed it all!"

"Yes," said Sara, "and made it all as black as he could. Canst forgive
him, Gethin?"

"Forgive him? Fancy Gethin Owens _forgiving_ anyone! as if he was such
a good man himself! especially his own father! I have nothing to
forgive; he did me no harm, poor old man. And if all the world is
going to turn again