"Nothing can be too simple for me, sir," said the visitor, in his high-pitched voice, and speaking a little through his nose. "What can be more idyllic than to drive through the glowing sunset, and find such a meal as this waiting for me--broiled fish, cream, honey?" Meurig Wynne reflected with satisfaction that none of these luxuries were expensive. "I hope you will get strong here," he said; "the air is pure and bracing, and you can roam about where you please. If you prefer riding, you can always have 'Captain' or 'Jim.' I want to sell 'Jim,' but if I don't get 40 pounds for him, I shall keep him till September fair." Gwynne Ellis put down his knife and fork, and sat gazing silently at the fair scene which lay stretched before him. "What's the matter? said Cardo. "Oh! exquisite charming! That view alone is worth coming down for! See those purple shadows! see that golden light on the gorse bushes!" "Well," said Mr. Wynne, rising, "I must return to my study, and leave you young men to finish your meal together." Cardo, though amused at, and somewhat despising his friend's sentimental enthusiasm, yet on the whole did not dislike him. "Oh! I believe the fellow is all right," he thought, when they had parted for the night; "in fact, I rather like him; and, by Jove! I had forgotten all about his being a wrangler! There's no conceit about him anyway; if there had been, I should have had to pitch him out of the dogcart--upset him into the sea or something--but I think he is all right." And he went satisfied to his bed, and slept the sleep of the just, or, at all events--of the busy farmer! [1] Beloved. CHAPTER VI. CORWEN AND VALMAI. Gwynne Ellis soon found himself quite at home at Brynderyn, and enjoyed the freedom and variety of his life in its picturesque neighbourhood. To Cardo, who had hitherto been so much alone, his presence was a very pleasant change, and though Ellis was a complete contrast to himself in every way, he liked him, and felt the advantage of companionship; more especially in the evenings, when, his father shut up in his study, and the old parlour but dimly lighted, he had always found the time hang rather heavily. He was wont to relieve the tedium of the evening hour by strolling into the kitchen, sitting in the rush chair, always looked upon as the young master's, and freely entering into the games or gossip of the farm-servants. He was much amused at the enthusiasm and romance of his new-found friend, who, coming from a populous and uninteresting border country, was charmed by the unconventional ways of the Welsh coast. He threw a glamour of poetry and romance over the most commonplace incidents; and Cardo, to tease him, would often assume a stolid and unimpressionable manner that he was far from feeling. On the whole, they pulled well together, and the acquaintance, begun accidentally, bid fair to become a lifelong friendship.