Here Shanno entered.

’Mr Owen, Mr Jones, Tenewydd, did tell Mr Thomas, Trefortyn, who did tell John, blacksmith, who did tell Betto, that he saw Miss Netta and Mrs Jenkins, tallow-chandler, this morning about six o’clock, and they did get into a carriage by there.’

’Go and tell mother that Aunt Jenkins was with Netta, Gladys, and I’ll go and see whether Mr Jones really saw her or not.’

Gladys returned to her mistress, who had become more quiet, and was trying to persuade Mr Prothero to go after the fugitives.

‘Mr Owen is gone, ma’am,’ said Gladys, ’and Mr Jones, of Tynewydd, saw Miss Netta this morning with Mrs Griffith Jenkins, and they got into a carriage together.’

’Thank God that ‘Lizbeth was with her,’ said Mrs Prothero.

‘The deceitful, pompous old vagabond,’ thundered Mr Prothero.  ’She to connive and contrive! fit mother for such a son.  They ’ont come to no good end.  No, mother, I can’t, nor I ’ont go after ’em; Netta has made her own bed, and she must lie on it.’

‘Mr Owen is gone, ma’am,’ whispered Gladys.  ’Try to take comfort; there is One who can make all our rough ways straight, and will bring poor Miss Netta home again, if we pray for it.’

‘What’s the girl preaching about?’ said Mr Prothero, glancing sternly at Gladys, who was silenced at once.  ’Now, mother, we mustn’t let that undutiful girl upset us.  I must go to the wheat-field—­you must—­’ he looked at his wife, and changed what he was going to say to, ’lie in bed.’

‘No, Davy, I can’t lie in bed, I must go and look for Netta.’

’Now, wife, I ’ont have none of this nonsense.  You must either lie in bed or go about your work.  The whole house sha’n’t be turned topsey-turvey for a baggage like that.’

Mr Prothero left the room, and his wife insisted upon getting up.

’If you could pray for her, ma’am, you would be happier, and perhaps poor Miss Netta might be helped in a way we cannot see.’

’Pray for me, Gladys, I cannot think or pray for myself, I am so bewildered.’

The two earnest-minded women knelt down by the bedside, and Gladys offered up a simple prayer in her clear, strong language, for the ’poor lamb who had strayed from the fold;’ in which the mother joined in the midst of her sobs and tears.  When they arose from their knees, Mrs Prothero kissed Gladys, and said she would go downstairs, and try to work, and seek to keep her heart in prayer.

And the day wore through, until the evening brought Mr and Mrs Jonathan Prothero.  For the first time, Mrs Jonathan comforted her sister-in-law.

‘Now, really, I do not see why you should be so very much distressed,’ she said.  ’Howel is a fine, clever young man, with plenty of money.  He is sure to make his way into good society, and to place Netta in a superior position.  Of course, it was very wrong of her to elope, very; but your husband is so obstinate that they knew he would never consent, and what else were they to do?  I confess I should have done the very same thing.  As to his not marrying her after all, that is absurd.  He is devotedly attached to her, and he knows that with her beauty and spirit, she will soon be fit for good society.’