er bach."

"Oh, it will be all right for me!" said the old man again, and sitting
under the big chimney after tea, Tudor and Gwil both leaning on his
knees, the old peace and content seemed in some measure to have
returned to him.

The following market day was a trying ordeal to him, but one from which
he did not flinch.

At breakfast no one suggested the usual journey into Castell On, until
Ebben himself called to Magw as she passed through the kitchen.

"Tell them to harness Bowler, and put the two pigs in the car. I'll
sell them to-day if I can."

"I will come too," said Ann, "and take little Gwil to have a new cap.
He wants one shocking."

She chatted volubly as they drove under the leafy ash branches which
bordered the road, her father answering only in monosyllables.

When the pigs had been carried shrieking, in the usual unceremonious
ear-and-tail fashion into their pens, and Bowler had been led into the
"Lamb" yard, the old man looked rather forlorn and desolate as he gazed
after Ann, who was making her way with little Gwil down the busy street.

"'Twill be hard to bear to-day," he thought. "They are all talking
about me; but 'tis not so hard as I deserve."

Suddenly a hand was laid on his arm, and a kindly greeting reached his
ears. Mr. Price the vicar, standing at his window, had observed the
Garthowen car pass into the market, and had startled his housekeeper by
turning round suddenly with the question.

"Didn't you say we wanted a pig, Jinny?"

"That I did about six months ago, sare, but you never got one. We
wanted one then because we had so much milk to spare, but now Corwen is
drying up very much, and Beauty is not so good as she was."

Mr. Price took snuff vigorously.

"I think a little pig would look well in that stye, and he would be
company for you, Jinny and we could buy a little bran or mash or
something for him," he added, hunting for his stick and hat, and
hurrying to the front door, Jinny looking after him with a smile of
amused disdain.

"'Ts-ts!" she said; "Mistheer, pwr fellow, is very ignorant, though he
is so learned. 'Tis a wonder, indeed, he didn't want to buy hay for
the pig!"

But she went out pleased, nevertheless, and spread a bed of yellow
straw in readiness for her expected "company."

"I wonder who is wanting to sell a pig now," she soliloquised. "I
daresay Mishteer saw an old 'bare bones' passing that nobody else would
buy, and is going to take pity on hi