o--dishonourable! not even _you_ shall call me
that twice. Some strange cloud is over you--you are not the same
Valmai that walked with me beside the Berwen. You cannot kill my love,
but you have turned it to-night into gall and bitterness. I will
_never_ intrude my presence upon you again. Go through life if you
can, forgetting the past; I will never disturb the even tenor of your
way. And if, in the course of time, we may cross each other's paths,
do not fear that I, by word or sing, will ever show that we have met
before."

"I hold you to that promise," said Gwladys haughtily. And she passed
on in the deepening twilight, under the fir trees, Cardo looking after
her with an aching heart.

She met Mrs. Power on the stairs.

"You have been a long time, dear; I hope you haven't taken cold."

"Oh! no, I will be down directly; it must be near dinner-time."

She walked steadily up the broad staircase, and into her own room; but
once there, she threw herself on the couch, and buried her face in the
cushions.

"Oh! Valmai, my sister!" she sobbed, "what have I not borne for you
to-night! I have kept to my determination; but oh! I did not know it
would be so hard! You shall never more be troubled with this man; you
are beginning to find peace and joy in life, and you shall never again
be exposed to his cruel wiles. But oh! Valmai, having seen him I
forgive you; he can pretend to be passionately and truly in love with
you! but he is false, like every other man! He left you in despair and
disgrace; or what did he mean by 'the little mound in the churchyard'?
Oh! Valmai, what have you suffered? But now I have saved you, darling,
from further temptation from him. God grant my cruel deception may
bear good fruit for you, my sister!"

It was late on the evening of the next day when Cardo reached Caer
Madoc, and, hiring a carriage from there, was driven over the old
familiar road to Abersethin. The wind blue keenly over the brown, bare
hills, the grey clouds hurried from the north over the pale evening
sky, one brilliant star shone out like a golden gem before him. Once
he would have admired its beauty, now the sight of it only awoke more
poignantly the memory of his meeting with Valmai in the "Velvet Walk,"
and with a frown he withdrew his gaze from it. Here was the spot where
he had first seen her! here was the bridge upon which they had shared
their ginger-bread! and oh! cruellest of all sounds, there was the