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to the boat。 When there； all was stillawfully still！ For a minute
or two； he dared not lift up the cloth。 Then reflecting that the
same terror might beset him againof leaving his father unaided
while yet a spark of life lingeredhe removed the shrouding cover。
The eyes looked into his with a dead stare！ He closed the lids and
bound up the jaw。 Again he looked。 This time he raised himself out
of the water and kissed the brow。
〃It was my doom； father！ It would have been better if I had died at
my birth！〃
Daylight was fading away。 Precious daylight！ He swam back； dressed；
and set off afresh for Penmorfa。 When he opened the door of Ty Glas；
Ellis Pritchard looked at him reproachfully； from his seat in the
darkly…shadowed chimney…corner。
〃You're come at last；〃 said he。 〃One of our kind （i。e。； station）
would not have left his wife to mourn by herself over her dead child；
nor would one of our kind have let his father kill his own true son。
I've a good mind to take her from you for ever。〃
〃I did not tell him；〃 cried Nest； looking piteously at her husband；
〃he made me tell him part； and guessed the rest。〃
She was nursing her babe on her knee as if it was alive。 Owen stood
before Ellis Pritchard。
〃Be silent；〃 said he； quietly。 〃Neither words nor deeds but what are
decreed can come to pass。 I was set to do my work； this hundred
years and more。 The time waited for me； and the man waited for me。
I have done what was foretold of me for generations！〃
Ellis Pritchard knew the old tale of the prophecy； and believed in it
in a dull； dead kind of way； but somehow never thought it would come
to pass in his time。 Now； however； he understood it all in a moment；
though he mistook Owen's nature so much as to believe that the deed
was intentionally done； out of revenge for the death of his boy； and
viewing it in this light； Ellis thought it little more than a just
punishment for the cause of all the wild despairing sorrow he had
seen his only child suffer during the hours of this long afternoon。
But he knew the law would not so regard it。 Even the lax Welsh law
of those days could not fail to examine into the death of a man of
Squire Griffith's standing。 So the acute Ellis thought how he could
conceal the culprit for a time。
〃Come；〃 said he； 〃don't look so scared！ It was your doom； not your
fault；〃 and he laid a hand on Owen's shoulder。
〃You're wet；〃 said he； suddenly。 〃Where have you been？ Nest； your
husband is dripping； drookit wet。 That's what makes him look so blue
and wan。〃
Nest softly laid her baby in its cradle； she was half stupefied with
crying； and had not understood to what Owen alluded； when he spoke of
his doom being fulfilled； if indeed she had heard the words。
Her touch thawed Owen's miserable heart。
〃Oh； Nest！〃 said he； clasping her in his arms； 〃do you love me still…
…can you love me； my own darling？〃
〃Why not？〃 asked she； her eyes filling with tears。 〃I only love you
more than ever； for you were my poor baby's father！〃
〃But； NestOh； tell her； Ellis！ YOU know。〃
〃No need； no need！〃 said Ellis。 〃She's had enough to think on。
Bustle； my girl； and get out my Sunday clothes。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 said Nest； putting her hand up to her head。
〃What is to tell？ and why are you so wet？ God help me for a poor
crazed thing； for I cannot guess at the meaning of your words and
your strange looks！ I only know my baby is dead！〃 and she burst into
tears。
〃Come； Nest！ go and fetch him a change； quick！〃 and as she meekly
obeyed； too languid to strive further to understand； Ellis said
rapidly to Owen； in a low； hurried voice …
〃Are you meaning that the Squire is dead？ Speak low； lest she hear。
Well； well； no need to talk about how he died。 It was sudden； I see；
and we must all of us die； and he'll have to be buried。 It's well
the night is near。 And I should not wonder now if you'd like to
travel for a bit； it would do Nest a power of good； and thenthere's
many a one goes out of his own house and never comes back again； and…
…I trust he's not lying in his own houseand there's a stir for a
bit； and a search； and a wonderand； by…and…by； the heir just steps
in； as quiet as can be。 And that's what you'll do； and bring Nest to
Bodowen after all。 Nay； child； better stockings nor those； find the
blue woollens I bought at Llanrwst fair。 Only don't lose heart。
It's done now and can't be helped。 It was the piece of work set you
to do from the days of the Tudors； they say。 And he deserved it。
Look in yon cradle。 So tell us where he is； and I'll take heart of
grace and see what can be done for him。〃
But Owen sat wet and haggard； looking into the peat fire as if for
visions of the past； and never heeding a word Ellis said。 Nor did he
move when Nest brought the armful of dry clothes。
〃Come； rouse up； man！〃 said Ellis； growing impatient。 But he neither
spoke nor moved。
〃What is the matter； father？〃 asked Nest； bewildered。
Ellis kept on watching Owen for a minute or two； till on his
daughter's repetition of the question； he said …
〃Ask him yourself； Nest。〃
〃Oh； husband； what is it？〃 said she； kneeling down and bringing her
face to a level with his。
〃Don't you know？〃 said he； heavily。 〃You won't love me when you do
know。 And yet it was not my doing： it was my doom。〃
〃What does he mean； father？〃 asked Nest； looking up； but she caught a
gesture from Ellis urging her to go on questioning her husband。
〃I will love you； husband； whatever has happened。 Only let me know
the worst。〃
A pause； during which Nest and Ellis hung breathless。
〃My father is dead； Nest。〃
Nest caught her breath with a sharp gasp。
〃God forgive him！〃 said she； thinking on her babe。
〃God forgive ME！〃 said Owen。
〃You did not〃 Nest stopped。
〃Yes； I did。 Now you know it。 It was my doom。 How could I help it？
The devil helped mehe placed the stone so that my father fell。 I
jumped into the water to save him。 I did； indeed； Nest。 I was
nearly drowned myself。 But he was deaddeadkilled by the fall！〃
〃Then he is safe at the bottom of the sea？〃 said Ellis； with hungry
eagerness。
〃No； he is not； he lies in my boat；〃 said Owen； shivering a little；
more at the thought of his last glimpse at his father's face than
from cold。
〃Oh； husband； change your wet clothes！〃 pleaded Nest； to whom the
death of the old man was simply a horror with which she had nothing
to do； while her husband's discomfort was a present trouble。
While she helped him to take off the wet garments which he would
never have had energy enough to remove of himself； Ellis was busy
preparing food； and mixing a great tumbler of spirits and hot water。
He stood over the unfortunate young man and compelled him to eat and
drink； and made Nest； too； taste some mouthfulsall the while
planning in his own mind how best to conceal wha