ll feathers of foam, always the fore-runners of rough weather. The sea-gulls let themselves go before the wind calling to each other excitedly, the little sea-crows stayed quietly at home

ed the new calf; she had scattered the grain before the flocks of fowls and pigeons in the far

g from home t

I tell you? I am goi

won't be bac

going t

, of course. W

s just putting he

absent-minded man. "Tell him to sad

h the stubble of the farm-yard, caught sight of Sho

I settle with him yesterday to take the two pigs to the fair to be sell? There's what it is to live in th

gs to-day?" he said sulkily, as soon as h

bout on one leg, finding it difficult to mount the

rse; yes, Shoni, quite right, you

r; you had forgott

nd he trotted away, Shoni looking

in that language. "Wass you ever see such a man? I tell you, Valmai, he woul

ni, I am sure of it; but

ribbons and finery, talking and laughing with the young men, and coming home in the evening wit

charm in her appearance, but now he seemed to re

a bit now if you wass to pick up a sweet'arr amongst the gentry, because you are beginning to

" she said

ll take a miladi like you for a wife. You must learn to kom over the farm-yard without picking u

a farmer," said Valmai, "nor an

e pigs, and the calves, and hens, but you too I must take to markets and fairs, or we sha

ought of her, except Shoni, and to him she seemed rather a burden; or was there one who thought of her sometimes?-who cared a little for her? With heightened colour and quick step she turned from the farm-yard down the ste

s, until she at length reached the stile by the bridge upon which she and Cardo had eaten their gingerbread on the first evening of their acquaintance. The road which had that night been so quiet and deserted was now full of busy life, and as Valmai approached th

d the bridge they were overtaken by a young man, who reined in his spirited, well-groomed horse and addressed the party. At once Valmai recognised the voice, a

nd blushed becomingly, for Cardo Wynne was the catch of the neighbourhood; his good looks, his father's reputed wealth, an

ghes; "we shall see you

s horse for a moment so as to avoid riding in the

hich Valmai saw, and which made her heart beat faster and her cheek flush a more rosy red, but she shrank further back into the shade of the hazel bush, and only peeped out again when she heard by the horse's hoofs that his rider was remounting; then she ventured

d and bwdran,[1] and then she would set off to Ynysoer to spend a few hours with Nance Owen, who had nursed her as a baby before her parents had left Wales. In spite of the increasing storm she reached the beach, and turned her face towards Ynysoer, a small island or rather a promonto

as down, and the rocks were bare, and the high wind helped to hurry her over the pools and craggy points. Gathering her red cloak tightly around her she made her way safely over

nd coarse grass which surrounded it, for tufts of grass and moss grew on the roof also, and Nance's goat was frequently to be seen browsing on the house-top. At the open door stood Nance her

e to see old Nance, and on such a day?

osed the door. "Why, you know nothing about it on this side of the island, nothing of what it is in the village. The

and hat, and smoothed her

ave no grand friends to keep you company and no one to lo

frock?" said the girl, holding out her skirt to the admiring

ine and soft, but white, al

e white," s

in your first little clo

to ask you about, Nance; I

I must go and fetch water from th

ter," said Valmai; "

way to the spring which dripped from a crack in the cliffs. While she waited for the pitcher to fill, she sang, in sheer lightness of heart, the old bal

banks my lo

ay through s

the pitcher, but finding i

carolled l

irds flew do

banks the sto

ch milk, Valmai was busy, with skirt and sleeves tucked up, tidying and arranging the little room; the hearth had been swept and the tea-things la

nd butter thin, thin-as befits a lady like you; and sorry I am that it is barley bread. I don't forget th

ome till to-morrow; but tell me now, Nance fach,

are not so sweet-they remind me of my child's grave; the sea does not look the same-it reminds me of my boy!" and she rocked herself backwards and forwards for some time, while Valmai stroked with tender white fingers the hard, wrinkled hand which rested on her lap. "Well, indeed," said the old woman at last, "there's enough of my sorrows; let us get on to the happy time when your little life began, you and your twin sister. When you were washed and dressed and laid sleeping together in the

ai, as the old woman stopped to

ther went a missionary? Well! there was a message come to fetch the lady to the death-bed of her mother, and she only waited at Dinas long enough to see you both christened together, Valmai and

English lady's n

re written out on paper, and her directions, and if she ever moved to another place she would write and tell us, she said; but that was n

oughtfully into the glowing embers, "I

no need for you to trouble your head abou

w about me, d

to have another look at the storm. "Ach y fi! it's like a boil

Valmai, joining the old woman at the door, and looking out rather anxiously at the angry sea. "Oh,

e evening shadows fell, and the moon sho

him there, he returned to the inn, and, mounting his horse, rode home early in the afternoon. Why he thus hurried away he never could explain. Ever since he had leant on the bridge over the Berwen in the morning he had been haunted by a feeling of Valmai's presence. Little had he guessed that she had been so near h

to the top of the turfy bank at the side of the road to gain a better view of the coast. "Yes, a woman-a girl, surely, and a graceful girl, wearing a scarlet cloak. She carried her hat in her hand-not on her head, at all events. Surely

the "Vicare du," as he joi

ast fowl to gaze at the clouds which scudded before the w

r he rose, and fixing his h

the waves, father. If I am not back

appeared into the stone passage. Making his way down to the beach, he found the stor

and and foam before it. The Berwen looked yellow and muddy as it washed over its stony bed. Above all came the roar of the breakers a

ght of his boat; but no, no boat would live in such a sea

hat he could have distinguished Valmai from any other girl, and what more natural

fears like a silly girl. I daresay

him in the morning. Indeed it was not likely that any tende

ould haunt him. He was surprised t

emarked as she passed, hurried

's long steps broug

nysoer?" he said. "I t

as the wind carried her words away, "and I must stay with her till tomorrow, no one co

red cloak?"

and if she tries to come back to-nig

t-good-bye,"

an, but her voice was drown

s too late; and yet," he thought, "she cannot come till the tide is low. I

connected the island with the mainland. He knew for a certainty that Valmai was there, and he watched with intense interest the darkening island, over which the storm gathe

r upon nine o'clock. The moon was hidden at intervals by heavy storm-clouds, which were hurrying before the wind; but when her light shone out fitfully, it dis

e one moment leaving it bare and black, the next co

ng, foaming tower of spray, which rose in the centre of the bridge, where

are head (for he had long before lost his hat) he made a blind rush over the bridge. For the first few yards he

standing still a moment for breath

eady he saw that Valmai

t the shadow of the rocks and entered upon the open and unprotected reef that Cardo in a sudden absence of clouds saw in the moonlight the delicate figure wrapped in its scarlet cloak. For a moment she

s for a moment left bare, and in that moment Cardo realised how completely this stranger girl, who had seemed to drop from the clouds into his qu

either side, and in her terror losing her self-command, was on the point of giving herself up to the angry waters, which she felt herself too weak to withstand. At this critical moment a dark form dashed through the blinding spray-a form which she instantly recognised, and which as quickly restored courage to her sinking heart. She felt the strong arms clasped round her, but too late! for the next moment

mainland. With choking breath and blinded eyes he felt himself carried on the crest of a wave, which bore him landwards, but only to be drawn back again by its receding swell. He felt he was helpless, though, had he the use of his two arms, he knew he would be able to breast the stormy waters, and gain the land in safety; but clutched in the nervous grasp of his left arm he held what was dearer to him than life itself, and felt that to die with Valmai was better than to live without her

thin his grasp, and in a few moments he was able to realise the meaning of the change in his feelings. He had been carried like a shred of seaweed by that strong wave far up the beach on the mainland, and in its receding flow it had swirled him into a round cavity in the rocks, where as a boy he had often played and bathed and fished; he knew it well, and saw in a moment

he sea, and he set to work with renewed vigour to rub her cold hands, and press the water out of her long, drenched hair; he was soon rewarded by signs of life in the rigid form-a little sigh came trembling from her lips, her hand moved, and there was a tremor in her eyelids. Cardo placed his arm under her shoulders and, lifting her into a sitting posture, rested her head upon his breast, the movement, the change of position-something awoke her from h

you h

trolled until now, and with the delight of seeing life and movement return to

ow, and he had to bend his he

death for my sake-th

ing your slow recovery. Now, Valmai," he said, realising that every moment of exposure in her cold,

ten bird. His own drenched condition he did not consider-did not feel, while he climbed with careful footsteps up the rugged path to Dinas, lighted only by the moon, whose beams were continually obscured by the flying clouds. Pushing

" she whispered, "on

ntly loosing his gras

kno

seemed to rouse the inmates at once, for, with considerabl

afe," said Valm

ness to trust her voice, while Cardo felt the occasion was above the necessity for any words. He waited behind the elder bushes until Gwen's full-moon face appeared in the doorwa

of this? Where have you been? and I

d coming back over the Rock B

er if you are drowned crossing that nasty place in such a storm, You are like

aching him in snappish, reproving tones through the closed door. Then he turned away, and though he was bodily cold an

fermentation has commenced, and

ear h

Woe