It was in the dusk of evening when Lady Bryn Afon, accompanied by her serving-maids and Primrose, arrived at the solitary farmhouse beneath the lonely heights of Craig Aran. The ride over hill and dale from their halting-place of the previous day, some three or four miles from Glyn Helen, was wonderfully beautiful in the evening twilight, the mountain-tops bathed in the rosy light of the setting sun, and the lower hills waving in soft outline, one below another, in purple shadow or mysterious blue distance, with here and there a wooded valley, whose wealth of June leafage caught the sunset glory, and lay bathed in yellow glow. The last half mile to Glyn Melen Farm was a steep descent down a narrow, rugged lane, closely shut in on both sides by high hedges and steep, grassy banks. At the bottom of the lane a white gate opened into a peaceful orchard, through which a wide pathway led to the door of the quaint, low-roofed house, where the travellers were to spend the next few weeks. Here they were warmly welcomed by the farmer's wife, an elderly woman, whose snowy cap, tied beneath her chin, and surmounted by a tall black hat, surrounded a sweet and gentle, though homely face, which lighted up with genuine pleasure at the sight of her well-known guest and her fair young companion, and whose torrent of Welsh eloquence caused the olive-cheeked Italian serving-maids to open round eyes of wonder. Her husband and two comely daughters chimed in with a hearty greeting, and she then handed a note to Lady Bryn Afon, who, reading it, said in English to Primrose; "Our chaplain craves our pardon for neglecting to bid us welcome, but knowing it is ever our wish that he should fulfil every duty of his sacred calling, he has gone forth, at a sudden summons, to a sick bed, whence, since it is at some long distance, he must needs be late in returning. You must know, Primrose,"--for the young girl was looking at her with an inquiring as well as half-startled expression in her eyes,--"that during our stay here he is relieving an aged clergyman in charge of a scattered parish on the mountain-side; for though my husband and I would fain have seen him take holiday for a season, his active mind must needs thus find employment, and rather give rest to others than to itself. Methinks it is as well he should be absent to-night, for despite the brightness of your eyes, you must needs plead guilty of some fatigue, and I confess that my own limbs are weary after last night's adventure! We shall do better to seek an early couch, rather than to enter upon any such lengthy topics of converse as Master Vere would too surely beguile us into. What think you, dear one, of our lonely dwelling-place? Can you cheerfully pass some three or four weeks in this mountain fastness with such pleasures only as nature can afford us?" "Nature has ever been my best companion," said Primrose with a smile, "and oftentimes, save indeed my dear foster-father and my