"Where is she gone?" she asked. "That shameful girl."

"Gone away," said Shoni shortly, and Gwen knew it was useless trying to
get anything more out of him.

Thus Valmai slipped quietly out of her old life, though for some time
she was the subject of much gossip in the neighbourhood.

It was not long before Shoni found an opportunity of speaking to the
Vicar, and as he saw the effect of his tidings upon the cold, hard man,
a feeling of pity stirred within him.

"Is this all news to you?" he said. "Didn't you know that your son was
haunting the footsteps of this innocent girl, to bring her to ruin?"

"Had I known," said the Vicar, in a stern voice, "that my son held any
communication with the Methodist preacher's family, however innocent it
might be, I would have closed my doors against him."

"Where is he?" asked Shoni, clenching his fist.

"I don't know," said the Vicar, turning away.

Shoni called after him, "When he comes back he'll feel the weight of
this fist, if it's twenty years to come."

[1] Society meeting.

CHAPTER XIII.

"THE BABIES' CORNER."

A glorious summer was once more brooding over sea and land, when one
morning, in Nance's cottage, a feeble wail was heard; a sound which
brought a flood of happiness to Valmai, for nothing could wholly crush
the joyous welcome of a mother's heart. For a little while the past
months of sorrow and weariness were forgotten. The bitter
disappointment caused by Cardo's silence, lying deep below the surface,
was of so mysterious a nature that she scarcely found words to express
it even to herself. That he was false, that he had forgotten her,
never entered her mind. Some dire misfortune had befallen him; some
cruel fate detained him. Was it sickness? Was it death? There was
nothing for her but to bear and to wait; and God had sent this tiny
messenger of love to help and comfort her in her weary waiting. She
still believed that Cardo would return; he had promised, and if he were
living he would keep his promise--of this she felt certain. Secure
from the sneers and scornful glances of the world, alone in Nance's
cottage, her heart awoke afresh to the interests of life. Her baby boy
was bright and strong, and she watched with delight his growing
likeness to Cardo; the black hair, the black eyes, and the curve on the
rosebud mouth, which reminded her so much of his smile. Nance wondered
much at the girl's cheerfulness, and sometimes felt it h