anger, and saw who it is he is staying for, and learnt what I tell you, that he does not love me. I saw the one that he does love -I saw him with her. I saw him lighthearted and happy-while I- the sight nearly killed me-I fell down where I stood -and when I came to myself my mouth was full of earth, as if my teeth had tried to gnaw an opening to my grave. They found me, and tended, and were kind to me. I broke from them, and rode away madly in hopes some accident might happen to me before I reached you; but you see he followed, and cherished and guarded me. Oh, thank him-thank him for the precious life he has saved. Oh, Owen, thank him!" He felt the little hand relinquishing its hold his arm he knew the sudden rush of strength was failing-and he had scarcely time to seize both hands, before she sank at his feet white and stiff as if in death.

upon

He looked across her at Cunliff.

His look was simply one of dismissalpathetic and stern. There was no fury in it -no hatred. The sword of vengeance which

had been sharpened by one sorrow, was blunted by another.

Cunliff saw this received the look with

deep respect bowed low and turned

away.

CHAPTER XI.

HUGH'S FIRST LETTER HOME.

HIRELL did not mention to any one the scene which she had witnessed in the orchard. Cunliff discovered this soon, and wondered at her silence upon the subject.

The next day Kezia came home from a visit to Dolgarrog, and brought the news that Dola' Hudol was deserted again-that Mr. Rhys had gone on a foreign tour, and that his wife had returned to her uncle's house. Hirell looked at Cunliff when Kezia had told them of this, and their eyes met, and were withdrawn in much embarrassment. In the evening, happening to meet her as he was crossing the orchard, he said to her

"How can I thank you for your kind considerate silence, as to what took place here yesterday ?"

Hirell was standing by the little spring, near which Mrs. Rhys had lain she had been thinking of the lovely stained face as Cunliff came towards her, and of his low passionate cry of "Catherine!" and she seemed to hear it still in the murmur of the water.

"I shall never speak of it," she said quietly.

"You are very kind. I thank you much." He held out his hand. To have taken it, Hirell must have extended hers over the very spot where Mrs. Rhys had fallen. Perhaps she had been standing in the dusk and listening to the water till she had grown superstitious; for as Cunliff held out his hand she hesitated, looked down on the ground, and then up at him, with eyes sweet, sad and questioning.

"Is it worth thanks to be silent on such a matter?" she said gently.

"The best thanks of my heart."

She did not take his hand, and he drew it back and went away from her in silence, and not without some humiliation.

VOL. II.

11

Elias had been absent at the cattle fair of Dolgarrog all day, and his return was being looked for most anxiously by Hirell and Kezia, for on the dresser in a conspicuous place-that their eyes might be gladdened by the sight of it all day-was Hugh's first letter.

Even when Elias returned, it was not taken down from 'its place till the meal was over, and the fireside prepared as for an honoured guest, and then Elias got up and took the letter, and returning to his place, read it aloud to Hirell and Kezia.

"DEAR BROTHER,

"London,

"I hope you will all forgive me for not writing before; I have so little time to myself, but I will manage differently in future. I will write as you wished me, regularly, and conceal nothing from you. In the first place, then, to do this I am afraid I must shock you, as I have already done Ephraim Jones, by declaring that I like, admire, and almost reverence London."

Elias paused, and read the passage to him