yes seemed fairly to dazzle
him. John came to the rescue by telling Raymond's own version of the
story; and then he eagerly asked Joan of herself and what had become of
her these past years, for he had seldom seen her, and knew not where she
was living nor what she was doing -- knew not even if she were wedded,
nor if Peter Sanghurst's suit were at an end or had been crowned by success.

At the sound of that name the girl's face darkened quickly, and a spark
of fire gleamed in her eyes.

"Talk not of him," she said; "I would that he were dead! Have I not said
that I would never wed him, that I would die first? Fair fortune hath
befriended me in this thing. Thou knowest perchance that my father and
brother have been following the King's banner of late, first in Flanders
and then in France. My mother and I meantime have not been residing at
Woodcrych, but in London, whither all news of the war is first known,
and where travellers from the spot are like to come. We are here but for
a short space, to spend the merry Yuletide season with my mother's
brother, who lives, as thou knowest, within the town of Guildford. After
that we return once more to London, there to await the return of my
father and brother. Alexander, in truth, has once visited us, but has
returned to the siege of Calais, hoping to be amongst those who will
reap plenteous spoil when the city is given over to plunder, as Caen was
given. Of the Sanghursts, I thank my kindly saints, I have heard naught
all this while. My mother loved them not, albeit she was always
entreating me in nowise to thwart or gainsay my father. I cannot but
hope that these long months of absence will have gone far to break the
spell that those evil men seemed to cast about him. Be that as it may, I
myself have grown from a child to a woman, and I say now, as I said
then, that no power in the world shall induce me to give my hand in
marriage to Peter Sanghurst. I will die first!"

The girl threw back her handsome head, and her great eyes glowed and
flashed. Raymond looked at her with a beating heart, feeling once more
that mysterious kindling of the soul which he could not understand, and
yet of which he had been before in the presence of Joan so keenly
conscious. She appeared to him to be far older than himself, though in
reality he was a few months the senior; for at eighteen a girl is always
older in mind than a boy, and Joan's superb physique helped to give to
her the appearance o