arried.

When she was a little older, he would see her recklessly
climbing over the bars of the stile, in her red pinafore,
swinging in peril and tumbling over, picking herself up and
flitting towards him. Sometimes she liked to ride on his
shoulder, sometimes she preferred to walk with his hand,
sometimes she would fling her arms round his legs for a moment,
then race free again, whilst he went shouting and calling to
her, a child along with her. He was still only a tall, thin,
unsettled lad of twenty-two.

It was he who had made her her cradle, her little chair, her
little stool, her high chair. It was he who would swing her up
to table or who would make for her a doll out of an old
table-leg, whilst she watched him, saying:

"Make her eyes, Daddy, make her eyes!"

And he made her eyes with his knife.

She was very fond of adorning herself, so he would tie a
piece of cotton round her ear, and hang a blue bead on it
underneath for an ear-ring. The ear-rings varied with a red
bead, and a golden bead, and a little pearl bead. And as he came
home at night, seeing her bridling and looking very
self-conscious, he took notice and said:

"So you're wearing your best golden and pearl ear-rings,
to-day?"

"Yes."

"I suppose you've been to see the queen?"

"Yes, I have."

"Oh, and what had she to say?"

"She said--she said--'You won't dirty your nice
white frock."'

He gave her the nicest bits from his plate, putting them into
her red, moist mouth. And he would make on a piece of
bread-and-butter a bird, out of jam: which she ate with
extraordinary relish.

After the tea-things were washed up, the woman went away,
leaving the family free. Usually Brangwen helped in the bathing
of the children. He held long discussions with his child as she
sat on his knee and he unfastened her clothes. And he seemed to
be talking really of momentous things, deep moralities. Then
suddenly she ceased to hear, having caught sight of a glassie
rolled into a corner. She slipped away, and was in no hurry to
return.

"Come back here," he said, waiting. She became absorbed,
taking no notice.

"Come on," he repeated, with a touch of command.

An excited little chuckle came from her, but she pretended to
be absorbed.

"Do you hear, Milady?"

She turned with a fleeting, exulting laugh. He rushed on her,
and swept her up.

"Who was it that didn't come!" he said, rolling her between
his strong hands, tickling her. And she lau