Oliver himself encamped for a time, during which season party feeling rose to boiling-point at Cwmfelin, and enough arrows were aimed across the Gwynnon at those distant heights from the cross-bows of Master Taylor's pupils on the battlements of Craig Arthur, to have slain a score of Cromwells, had the "field of tents" been within the range of these gallant young Cavaliers. Then, during the sieges of those brave old strongholds of Pembroke and Tenby the fair vale of Gwynnon sent the flower of her youth to their defence, and for three months they held out bravely under their valiant defenders, among whom Sir Ivor of Caer Caradoc and the gay Sir Tristram of Craig Arthur were not the least noteworthy. But the Roundhead forces were too strong, and the surrender of Tenby in June was followed by that of Pembroke in July, and the brave youths and gallant knights returned sad at heart to the valley. Meanwhile the little church at Cwmfelin still stood bravely, and the peace of the village remained uninterrupted throughout this stormy season except by its own internal warfare and strife of tongues, which day by day waxed more bitter and clamorous. It was a fine time for the boys at Craig Arthur, who, lying in deadly ambush through many a long summer's afternoon upon the wooded slopes beneath their ancient school-house, made at twilight many an exciting escape from their bushy hiding-places by means of boats moored below, in which they would row with all the hushed secrecy of dread reality to the boatman's bridge, Master Taylor himself being at the helm, and conclude their exploit by scaling the steep greensward of Bryn Afon and startling its young mistress by showers of blows upon the ancient oaken doors of her fastness. Or, as a reward for exceptionally good conduct and studious behaviour, a privileged few might sometimes be seen wending their way with slow, laborious step and bowed and aching back along the rude subterranean passage which, on its way from the distant Caer Caradoc to Bryn Afon, passed by Craig Arthur and was an altogether too tempting mode of access to Lady Shanno's domains to be wholly forbidden. And there was not a boy in the school but vowed that he would at any time make the journey through the secret passage alone at midnight, just for the sake of seeing the Lady Shanno's beautiful face and golden hair, since to each of them she was not only the impersonation of all graces and virtues, but also surrounded in their imagination with a halo of romance such as made of her the fairy princess of an enchanted castle, or the very Queen Guinevere of olden times, re-incarnated in the pure and holy form of a saint! But of all her champions none equalled in chivalrous devotion little Elidore of Caer Caradoc, who spent much time at the castle, his mother being so frequent a visitor, and again taking up her abode with Primrose during her husband's absence at the siege of Pembroke;