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CHAPTER LII.

KEZIA.

MR. WRIGLEY considered his time of far too much importance for him to think of staying an hour in Wales. Indeed he returned to Dolgarrog by the car in which he took Hirell up to Bod Elian.

Only Kezia was at home, Elias having gone to a cattle fair at Aber.

She was standing outside the kitchen door by the churn when Hirell came behind her. She had just left off her work to rest her arms, and was looking along the Aber road, visible from here for many miles.

'Kezia!' said Hirell, then burst out with a wild peal of laughter as Kezia started, and turned towards her. Kezia laughed a little, and cried a little, all in a tranquil way, very different from Hirell's. And then they went in and sat down, holding one another's hands by turns-asking and answering questions, and falling into fits of tearful or smiling silence. 'And father's well, Kezia-you're quite sure?

'Yes, thank the Lord, he is well in health.’

very

'But is he much troubled about things-about money, Kezia ? '

'No, he says his affairs are coming more under his control.' 'Kezia, did he use Robert's money?'

'Oh dear, no! I never dared tell him. I sent it back to Robert, because the other money could be got. But somehow, your father did not think it all right; so he has not used any of it, but he will tell you what he thinks of it.' Kezia, it's not about his coming, is it, troubled ?'

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that father's

Oh no; he thinks that right and natural. You know he wrote to Sir John Cunliff yesterday, telling him you were coming home to-day.'

'Did he?' said Hirell, starting up, then sitting down again, and turning pale-'then he may be here any day-any minute,' she added with a shiver.

'Did your father tell you when he wrote,' asked Kezia, 'that Mr. Rhys had sent here to know whether Sir John was coming back, and if so, when we expected him ? '

'No.'

'Then you don't know that they are back at Dola' Hudol, and that Mrs. Rhys is seriously ill ? '

'No, indeed.'

'There has been a deal of talk about them since you've been away.'

Hirell looked at her with keen searching eyes.

That strange tragic little episode in the orchard last year had never quite left her mind; now it seemed to grow more

vivid in it.

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Talk, Kezia,' she said, 'what kind of talk ? '

Sir John Cunliff is mixed up with it, Hirell. I should not tell you, but I think you might hear it directly in some extravagant way.'

How is he mixed up in it, Kezia? Tell me all. You are right-I ought to know.'

Oh, Hirell, they say Sir John Cunliff has broken her heart. They say they cared for each other too much, and when Mr. Rhys was away, kept meeting instead of avoiding each other. She led a wretched life when she came back here, through Mr. Rhys knowing about it; and now, though it's said he's forgiven her, and they are quite reconciled, her heart seems broken, and they say she's dying. But Hirell, bach, don't look so.'

'Go on, Kezia; is it known why they want him?'
'No, who can say? Hirell, Hirell! my sweet dear.'

Kezia put her arm round the poor drooping form, and drew it to the open door for air, and seating it there, fetched some water, which the white faint lips sipped gratefully.

After a long silence, Hirell roused herself, and said—

'Let us say no more about this, Kezia. Come, I'm longing to know all the news-our news--which, however sad and miserable, is never, never worse, never disgraceful. I think you mean father is troubled about something, if it isn't about money.'

There was a silence again, during which Kezia's light eyelashes grew wet.

'Dear Hirell, you know how Hugh left us. Your father has felt it very deeply.'

Another silence, and soon Kezia lays her hand on Hirell's, says with a faint blush

and

'I haven't thanked you yet, Hirell, for the dear note you wrote me after you had heard from Hugh.'

'And, Kezia, you haven't told me anything yet that you know I am longing to hear.'

'I'm afraid I have very, very little to tell you, dear.'

'But, Kezia, has nothing come, then, of those letters that Hugh told me he had left-one for you and one for father?' Kezia shook her head, and smiled a sweet patient smile. 'Did Hugh tell you what he told me about-about father? › asked Hirell.

'Yes.'

'Kezia!' Hirell knelt down before her, and took hold of her arms, and looked searchingly into her timid serious blue eyes; 'tell me the truth, dear Kezia, do you after all care more for Hugh than father?'

The eyes looked back at her wonderingly, the head shook gently but emphatically.

Then you do love father, Kezia? Dearly?'

The fair puritan-looking little head wavered a moment, then fell forward on Hirell's shoulder.

‘Oh Hirell! your mother joined our hands. She often told me how she dreaded leaving him-he was so stern to himself, she said, so severe and self-sacrificing, he needed some one to be always guarding him from himself. We had always been such friends-ever since I was a child. In her last moments, Hirell, she joined our hands, and asked him to let me take her place. I have her written words about it; I will show it you, and her own wedding-ring. Well, dear Hirell, I thoughtbefore Hugh wrote that letter-I thought I had never found favour in your father's sight; but though I thought so, I felt, dear, I'd rather be his servant all my days than another's wife.' 'But now, Kezia, that you know the truth?'

Kezia raised her head, and looked at Hirell with a gentle pride.

'And now that I know the truth, Hirell, what can I do?' Then Hirell understood it all. Hugh had been able to tell Kezia Elias's secret, but of Kezia's he had known nothing. Therefore Elias knew nothing of it either. Hirell understood. in a moment why her father had not been able to speak. She knew his nature well enough to be sure of how he would doubt the possibility of Kezia's loving him,

She said nothing more, but kissed Kezia and went upstairs. Kezia was the first to see Elias coming home, and she called Hirell to go and meet him.

She remained in the kitchen herself busily preparing supper.

Instead of coming in, Elias and Hirell when they reached the house remained, to Kezia's surprise, walking up and down in front of it.

At last they came in together, and Hirell took her father to his old seat. Kezia was busy at the fire warming buttermilk, to pour on the oat-cake she had been breaking into the basins on the supper-table.

To her amazement Hirell took hold of her hand, and drawing her to Elias put it into his hand, saying

Father, why don't you give me the mother that my own mother left me?'

And then she went out and left them alone.

It was not long before Elias opened the door and called— 'Hirell, my daughter, where are you?'

And when she came, he pointed with both his hands to Kezia as she stood with her head bent down weeping for joy, and said

'See then-your mother. I go to give thanks where thanks are due.'

The evening was a very quiet and peaceful one. They talked chiefly of the great meeting there was to be at the opening of the chapel next month. Hirell had to hear how it had been arranged that there should be a great gathering of the English miners on Moel Mawr; and how they were to be addressed by the Reverend Ephraim Jones and other gifted friends.

CHAPTER LIII.

AN ARRIVAL AT BOD ELIAN.

A FORTNIGHT had passed since Hirell's return home, and yet Sir John had not made his appearance. His delay was, however, fully accounted for by the newspapers, which showed how importantly he was occupied-and which officious neighbours took care to bring or send in to the Morgans, although it was generally believed they had little reason to be pleased with him.

The Reverend Ephraim Jones, with whom Hugh now lodged, sent Elias several very favourable reports of himthough he owned himself he began to fear that his work at Messrs. Tidman's, to whose house he had been readmitted, was

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too hard for him, too exhausting, the minister owned-both to the spirit and the flesh.

A few days afterwards they had a letter from Hugh himself, in which he told them how, to his astonishment, and for the moment to his shame and humiliation, Sir John Cunliff had appeared one day at Tidman's, introduced himself to those gentlemen as a friend of Hugh's family, and begged to be permitted to take him away for a few hours, a request that was granted with a marked sense of the honour done in making it. Hugh said he could scarcely help laughing at the change that in an instant came over his employers' attitude towards him, as they looked at him and at the card on the table before them, bearing the words-Sir John Cunliff, Bart., Werge Castle.'

Hugh told them he had spent a delightful day, and that his future prospects had been discussed as kindly by Sir John as if he had been his dearest friend for many years. When things were more settled, Hugh said he would tell them what Sir John had proposed to him.

It wanted three days to the first of the great prayer meetings, and Hirell and Kezia were sitting in the afternoon knitting near the open door, and practising the hymns in which they were to take the lead on the grand day, when they heard the sound of wheels coming sharply round the field road.

They were unmistakably the wheels of a Dolgarrog car. Hirell and Kezia both rose hastily, and went into the house. 'It is him at last,' said Hirell. 'Oh, Kezia, I wish father was at home.'

She had turned so pale and trembled so, Kezia thought her quite unfit to meet the visitor, and drew her gently into her father's room.

Then Kezia went herself to receive Sir John, as she had no doubt whatever the guest would prove to be.

Hirell heard her in another minute returning, a manly step accompanying hers.

Surely she would not bring him here, Hirell thought, rising and holding fast the edge of the open bureau.

The door opened-Kezia appeared, beaming-and behind her came Robert Chamberlayne,

Was it intense relief or bitter disappointment? Kezia wondered, that made Hirell burst into tears, and sob so violently that it was several minutes before she could quiet her.

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