into her corner, and while she
sat silent and immovable, she followed out from beginning to end the
incidents of the last few weeks. Although Gwladys's mistaken
interference had caused her such deep sorrow, and such a bitter
experience as that of Cardo's avoidance of her at the Merediths, she
felt nothing but pity for the sister whom she knew would have
sacrificed life itself to save her from trouble.

As the train sped onwards, between the blue hills and by the silver
streams, her thoughts outran its speed, and in fancy she saw Cardo
hurrying along the high road to meet her at Caer Madoc. And he as he
drove along beside Dr. Hughes, was full of tender longings and thoughts
of her. She seemed to fill the air around him, she seemed to press
upon his inner consciousness with such vividness, that he felt it
difficult to restrain his voice, and prevent himself from calling her
name aloud.

At last, the evening shadows began to fall over sleepy Caer Madoc, and
Valmai, alighting from the coach in the "Red Dragon" yard, looked round
hurriedly. With her, too, the impression of Cardo's presence had been
so vivid, that she almost expected to see him waiting for her; but no
Cardo was to be seen! After leaving her luggage in the ostler's
charge, she hastened out through the old archway which opened into the
High Street.

"No, I prefer walking, thank you; you can send my luggage on
to-morrow," she said to the kindly officious man, who followed her to
offer his services as driver, and she turned up the street with a heart
full of exultant hopes. Here were the last straggling houses that
reached up the hilly street, leading to the moor. Her steps were light
and springy, as she followed the familiar road, now almost deserted by
the last pedestrians returning from the market. The sun had set behind
the sea, which she already saw stretching away to the west, a soft grey
haze enfolded the hills which rose before her, and the moon was rising
to her right and blending her silver light with that of the departed
sun, which still left a golden glow over the west. Valmai walked on
steadily until she reached the first milestone, and sitting down beside
it, she rested awhile, almost hidden by its shadow. It was not one of
the modern insignificant, square-cut, stiff stones, but a solid boulder
of granite, one of the many strewn about the moor. She listened
breathlessly to the different sounds that reached her ears, sounds
which seem