"Tell him to saddle her, and bring her here at once." Valmai ran out, and picking her way daintily through the stubble of the farm-yard, caught sight of Shoni fastening the last buckle of Malen's cart harness.
"Wants her saddled ?" he said, looking hot and flustered.

"Dear, dear! there never was such a man! Wasn't I settle with him yesterday to take the two pigs to the fair to be sell?
There's what it is to live in the clouds!" and, grumbling, he unfastened the buckles, and soon led Malen saddled and bridled to the door.
"Didn't you tell me we was to sell the pigs to-day ?" he said sulkily, as soon as his master was seated safely on the saddle.
Essec Powell, who had for some time been hopping about on one leg, finding it difficult to mount the spirited Malen, now looked thoughtfully at Shoni.
"Pigs," he said, "pigs?
Oh, of course; yes, Shoni, quite right, you shall take them to market tomorrow." "To-day is the fair; you had forgotten that, I suppose." "Well, well! next week will do," and he trotted away, Shoni looking after him with undisguised contempt.
"There's a man, now," he said in English, for he was proud of his proficiency in that language.

"Wass you ever see such a man?
I tell you, Valmai, he would be ruined and put in gaol for debt long ago if I wasn't keep him out of it." "Yes, I think--indeed, Shoni, I am sure of it; but where is the fair to-day ?" "At Llanython, of course; wasn't you hear of it?
Why! you ought to be there, pranked out in your ribbons and finery, talking and laughing with the young men, and coming home in the evening with your pocket-handkerchief full of gingerbread and nuts," and he looked her over from top to toe.
It had never struck him before that there was any charm in her appearance, but now he seemed to realise that she was worthy to be seen at the fair.
"Yes," he said pensively, with his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat; "I wouldn't wonder a bit now if you wass to pick up a sweet'arr amongst the gentry, because you are beginning to speak English as good as the Vicare, and you are not quite like the girls about here, Valmai." "Am I not ?" she said laughingly.
"No," he said seriously; "and that's where you will be failing.
There's not a chap about here will take a miladi like you for a wife.
You must learn to kom over the farm-yard without picking up your skirts, and looking at your shoes to see if they are dirty, if you want to marry a farmer." "Indeed, I don't wish to marry a farmer," said Valmai, "nor anyone else who doesn't want me." Shoni again shook his head solemnly.

"Yes, yes," he said, "I see how it is; s'not only the pigs, and the calves, and hens, but you too I must take to markets and fairs, or we shall never marry you," and he turned away pondering seriously over his self-imposed duties.
Valmai looked after him a little wistfully.

Where should she go now?
How should she spend the long day?
Gwen would see to the housework, and would brook no interference with her management.