"He has not been here for a long time, and when he came I did not see him for I was not at home." As a matter of fact Will had been ploughing on the mountain-side when the Dr.had honoured his brother with a call.

He was beginning to be ashamed of the farm work and kept it out of sight as much as possible.
"Well, well!" said his father apologetically, "we are three miles from Castell On, you see, and it is uphill all the way, and Davy my brother, never comes to the town except to some service in the church, and so I can't expect him to spend his time coming out here." "No, no, perhaps not! He is a very busy man," said the vicar, who was never known willingly to hurt anyone's feelings or to speak a disparaging word of an absent person.

"Well, now, he is coming to lunch with me on Friday on his way to the archidiaconal meetings at Caer-Madoc, and I want you to come too." "He won't like it, perhaps," said Will, "and I should be sorry to force my company upon him." "Oh! you have no reason to think that," said the vicar.

"I think when he has seen you he will like you; anyway, I hope you will come." "Of course, Will, of course," said Ebben Owens.

"He'll come, sir, right enough." "You are very kind, sir," said Will, slowly and reluctantly.