m and happy life. Her character had developed
rapidly during the last two years, and she found herself, to her own
surprise, possessed of a power of repression and a control over her
emotions which she would have thought impossible a few years earlier.
The memory of Cardo, the glamour of their rural courtship, the bliss of
their honeymoon, his departure and her subsequent sorrows, were kept
locked in the deepest recesses of her soul, and only recalled during
the silent hours of the night. She had become less impatient of the
stripes of sorrow; she had taken the "angel of suffering" to her heart
with meek resignation, endeavouring to make of her a friend instead of
an enemy, and she reaped the harvest always garnered by patience and
humility. But forgotten? No, not a tender word--not a longing
wish--not a bitter regret was forgotten! She seemed to lead two
separate lives--one, that of the petted and admired friend of the
Merediths; the other, that of the lonely, friendless girl who had lost
all that made life dear to her. Gwladys's love alone comforted her,
and the frequent visits which they paid to each other were a source of
great happiness to both. Her invalid charge soon benefited much by her
presence, and was really so far recovered that there was scarcely any
further need for Valmai's companionship, but she was glad to stay on as
a visitor and friend of the family. She was reading to Miss Meredith
one evening in the verandah, when Gwen and Winifred came bounding up
the steps from the lawn, hatless and excited.

"Oh, fancy, Beauty; we are going to have a visitor--a young man, too! a
friend of Dr. Belton's in Australia; he is travelling about somewhere,
and will come here to-morrow. Won't it be jolly? He writes to say he
is bringing a note of introduction from Dr. Belton, who wished him to
call and give us a personal account of him. I don't tell you, Mifanwy,
anything about it, because you are quite above these things; but Winnie
and I are looking forward to see Cecil's black looks when the stranger
falls in love with Beauty, which he will do, of course!"

"When you stop to take breath I will ask a question," said the more
sober Mifanwy. "What is the young man's name?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Gwen. "Papa stuffed the letter in his pocket,
and he has driven off to Radnor, and won't be back till dinner
to-morrow evening. Probably he will drive the young man with him from
the station. Larks, isn't it?