By Berwen Banks

Cardo sighed.

"Well, she came back after you were gone, then, and shook hands with

me, but said her uncle did not seem delighted to hear I was the Vicar's

friend."

"Of course not."

"But I made love to Shoni and gained his consent, and he is the real

master there, I fancy."

"You did?" said Cardo, lost in admiration of his friend's shrewdness.

"I did," said Ellis. "To-morrow I am to go to the field and paint

Corwen and Valmai has promised to come and make a daisy chain for the

occasion."

"Has she indeed?" said Cardo, with great interest. "She would not

promise me. I believe she loves to see me miserable."

"Well, cheer up," said Ellis, "for I shall be a precious long time at

those curls of Corwen's and those expressive brown eyes. Shoni, I

know, will stick to me like a leech, but you and Valmai, I expect, will

meanly desert me again."

Next day Valmai was as good as her word, for, as the young men entered

the field at one corner, she appeared at the gate in the other, and as

she came towards them, Gwynne Ellis was struck anew by the beauty and

freshness of her appearance. She wore a simple white frock, her fair,

broad forehead was shaded by a white sun-bonnet, and she carried a

wreath of moon daisies, which she flung over Corwen's neck who was

grazing peacefully among the buttercups, ignorant of the honour

awaiting her.

Valmai nodded playfully to Cardo and his friend as they drew near, and,

taking Corwen's soft, white ear, drew her towards them with many

endearing terms.

"Come then, my queen, dere di, come along, then, and show your

beautiful brown eyes, and your pretty white curls. Here we are, Mr.

Ellis; will we do?" and, holding up her white frock, she made a demure

little curtsey to the two young men, while Shoni, also arriving on the

scene, looked at her with amused surprise, not unmixed with reproof.

"Iss you must excuse Valmai, gentlemen," he said, tugging his red

forelock; "she iss partly a foreign, and not know our manners about

here."

"Oh, we'll excuse her," said Gwynne Ellis, while Cardo clasped her hand

and gazed rapturously at the blushing face under the white bonnet.

"I wass want her," said Shoni, with a jerk of his thumb towards Valmai,

"to put on her best frock, but no!" and he clicked his tongue against

the roof of his mouth, "there's odd things woman are! 'ts 'ts!"

"Well, indeed," said Valmai, "I did not think a smart gown would suit

the fields, whatever!"

"Couldn't be better, Miss Powell," said Ellis, arranging his group, and

introducing Shoni as a shadowy background. With a few deft touches of

his brush he had drawn the outlines of his picture, with good-natured

artfulness devoting much time to finishing off Corwen and dismissing

Valmai and Cardo.