why should she bear us both such ill-will as to foretell for us both a watery grave? Ah, what folly thus to dwell upon her dark sayings!" And laughing at her own childishness, Primrose banished the old gipsy from her thoughts, and she and the boatman went forth together, to tell to the vicar of Cwmfelin the wonderful news of her mother's summons. A week later the painful and long-dreaded parting was over; Primrose had looked for the last time upon the home of her childhood as a home, and had left the sunny Gwynnon Valley in the Black Horseman's charge, to go out into the unknown world before her. We will not dwell upon the old boatman's sorrow and loneliness of heart, which were fully shared by good Master Rhys, who had also looked upon Primrose as a dear daughter; but, leaving for a time the fair vale of Gwynnon, we will follow Primrose to town, where, after a journey made as easy and pleasant in those days of toilsome travelling as the good physician knew how to make it, she arrived safely in his charge, and was taken to the large and handsome residence close to Hampton Court, in which she was to find her mysterious parent. Inscrutable as ever, he had vouchsafed no information whatever to his young companion, on the journey, as to the future conditions of her life, beguiling her thoughts instead with much talk about the various towns and villages through which they passed, and with much learned discourse upon those struggles between the king and Parliament, which had already reached far-distant Wales in fragmentary and disquieting rumours, and were agitating England every day more violently, and more sorely perplexing men's hearts. So that Primrose felt her heart stirred within her, as she entered the great city of London once more, and felt herself to be in the midst of the struggling passions of men whose hearts were daily beating higher with conflicting emotions and desires, and where the general stream of public opinion tended--who knew whither? "Sir Galahad said he would die for the king," she said to herself, when her mind seemed sore perplexed with all the Black Horseman told her, first on one side and then on another, and she was fain to rest her woman's heart upon the judgment of one she would trust against the world; "and if he thinks him a man worth risking life for, then so do I, and I will e'en die for him likewise, if needs must. My heart is for the king, I know right well, and my reason shall not condemn my heart while the words of Holy Writ bid us 'render obedience unto the king as supreme.' That Book surely never bids us take up arms against our sovereign, be his faults what they may, and since he is still a good and holy man in private life, I will love him as before and think no ill." To which loyal resolve the Black Horseman bade her ever be true, for he was likewise himself a true-hearted cavalier, and though not blind to the faults of Charles as king, loved him too truly as man to feel any