"Afraid I was, 'machgen i," said Sara, "that the steamer would start
without me, and I will be quite happy to sit here and wait. Dear,
dear! how full the world is of wonders that we never know of down there
in the gorse and heather! all these strange people, different faces,
different languages. Gethin bâch, those who roam away from home see
much to open their minds."

"Yes," said Gethin, "and much to make them sick of it all; 'tis glad
I'll be to say good-bye to it, and to settle down in the old home
again. But the time is passing, Sara fâch, and I wanted to tell thee
what I have never told any one else, why I left Garthowen so suddenly.
I can tell you now, since my father has let every one know of it; but I
couldn't talk about it before Kitty Jones last night, for 'tis a bitter
thing to know your father has been dishonourable, and has lost the
respect of his neighbours. Well--'twas a night I never will
forget--that night when Gwilym Morris lost his bag of gold; 'twas a
night, Sara, that made a deep mark on me, a blow it was that nearly
drove me to destruction and ruin. I may as well tell thee everything,
Sara, and make a clean breast of it all. I had grown so fond of Morva,
Diwss anwl! she was in my thoughts morning, noon, and night, and I
thought she cared for me a little; but there I was mistaken, I suppose,
for when I asked her, she told me she was promised to Will. 'Here
behind this very bush,' she said, 'only two nights ago, I met him, and
I promised him again that I would be true to him.' I have been in
foreign lands when an earthquake shook the world under my feet, and at
those words of Morva's I felt the same, as if the world was going to
pieces; but I had to bear it; 'tis wonderful how much a man can bear!"

"And a woman too, 'machgen i," said Sara, laying her soft hand upon
his, "'twas a bitter time for Morva too."