Part 7 (1/2)

”Quilts and pillows, indeed, for a man who has slept on the hard deck, on the bare ground, on a coil of ropes; and once on a floating spar, when I thought sleep was death, and welcomed it too.”

”Hast seen many hards.h.i.+ps then, dear lad?” said Sara. ”Perhaps when we were sleeping sound in out beds, thou hast oftentimes been battling with death and s.h.i.+pwreck.”

”Not often, but more than once, indeed,” said Gethin.

”Thou must tell us after supper some of thy wonderful escapes.”

”Yes, I'll tell you plenty of yarns,” said Gethin, his eyes still following Morva's movements.

A curious silence had fallen upon the girl, generally so ready to talk in utter absence of self-consciousness. She served the porridge into the black bowls, and shyly pushed Gethin's towards him, cutting him a slice of the barley bread and b.u.t.ter.

”I have left my canvas bag at Caer-Madoc,” said Gethin, when he had somewhat appeased his appet.i.te. ”'Twill come up to Garthowen to-morrow. I have a present in it for thee, Morva.”

”For me?” said the girl, and a flood of crimson rushed into her face.

”I didn't think thee wouldst be remembering me.”

”There thou wast wrong, then,” said Gethin, cutting himself another slice.

”Well, indeed, I have never had a present before!”

”I have one for Ann, and Will, and my father, G.o.d bless him! And how is good old Will?”

”He is quite well,” said Morva.

”As industrious and good as ever? Dei anwl! there's a difference there was between me and him! You wouldn't think we were children of the same mother. Well, you can't alter your nature, and I'm afraid 'tis a bad lot Gethin Owens will be to the end!” And he laughed aloud, his black eyes sparkling, and the rings in his ears s.h.i.+ning out in the gloom of the cottage.

Morva looked at the stalwart form, the swarthy skin, the strong, even teeth, that gleamed so white under the black moustache, the jet-black hair, the broad shoulders, and thought how proud Ann would be of such a brother.

They sat long into the night, Sara gathering from the young man the history of all his varied experiences since he had left his father's home; Morva listening intently as she cleared away the supper, Gethin's eyes following her light figure with fascinated gaze.

At last the door was bolted, the fire swept up, and Sara and Morva, retiring to the penucha, left Gethin to his musings, which, however, quickly resolved themselves into a heavy, dreamless sleep, that lasted until the larks were singing above the moor on the following morning.

[1] Sea-maiden.

[2] Spirit Sara.

CHAPTER VI

GETHIN'S PRESENTS

The corn harvest had commenced, and Ebben Owens was up and out early in the cornfields. Will, too, was there, but with scant interest in the work. It had never been a labour of love with him, and now that fresh hopes and prospects were dawning upon him, the farm duties seemed more insignificant and tedious than ever. Had it been Gethin who stretched himself and yawned as he attacked the first swathe of corn, Ebben Owens would have called him a ”lazy lout,” but as it was Will, he only jokingly rallied him upon his want of energy.

”Come, come,” he said, ”thee'st not got thy gown and bands on yet.

We'll have hard work to finish this field by sunset; another hand wouldn't be amiss.”

”Here it is, then,” said a pleasant, jovial voice, as a sunburnt man came through the gap, holding out his brown right hand to Ebben Owens.

The other he stretched towards Will, who had thrown his sickle away, and was hastily approaching.