“No, my son; he left the house when he heard of the accident, and has not been back since. David, you won’t be hard on him—you will—”
“How can you ask me, mother? Will you never understand what I feel for Owen?” he said, impatiently, and in pain; then, turning to leave the room, “I am going to find Owen at once!—but stay! where and how is Gwen?”
“Gwen is upstairs; she is very ill; she blames herself most bitterly. She has been asking for you.”
“I will see her for a moment before I go. Don’t come with me, mother and Gwladys; I will see her alone.”
David had been with Gwen for five minutes, I heard Gwen sobbing, and David talking to her quietly, when at the end of that time I entered the room.
“David, Miles Thomas is downstairs; he has been hanging about the place all day; he begs to see you; he knows about everything. Still, he says he must see you. I hope nothing is wrong.”
“Who is Miles Thomas?”
“A boy—one of the trappers in the mine.”
“Oh! of course. I will see him directly.”
David and the boy were together for half-an-hour; they paced up and down outside. I saw David’s hand on his shoulder, and observed the boy raise entreating eyes to his face. At the end of that time Miles ran away, and David returned to the house. He entered the room where I was trying to prepare some tea for him. Mother was upstairs with Gwen. David came up and put his arm round my waist.