y turned round, and, fixing her large blue eyes on Emlyn,
said, in the hearing of them all--

"The Abbey burns. Why, Nurse, they told me that you said it would be so,
yonder amid the ashes of Cranwell Towers. Surely you are foresighted."

"Fire calls for fire," answered Emlyn grimly, and the nuns around looked
at her with doubtful eyes.

It was a very fierce fire, which appeared to have begun in the
dormitories, whence, even at that distance, they saw half-clad monks
escaping through the windows, some by means of bed-coverings tied
together and some by jumping, notwithstanding the height. Presently
the roof of the building fell in, sending up showers of glowing embers,
which lit upon the thatch of the farm byres and sheds, and upon the
ricks built and building in the stackyard, so that all these caught
also, and before dawn were utterly consumed.

One by one the watchers in the Nunnery wearied of the lamentable sight,
and muttering prayers, departed terrified to their beds. But Emlyn
sat on at the open casement till the rim of the splendid September sun
showed above the hills. There she sat, her head resting on her hand, her
strong face set like that of a statue. Only her dark eyes, in which the
flames were reflected, seemed to smile hardly.

"Thomas is a great tool," she muttered to herself at length, "and the
first cut has bitten to the bone. Well, there shall be worse to come.
You will live to beg Emlyn's mercy yet, Clement Maldonado."

CHAPTER IX

THE BLOSSHOLME WITCHINGS

On the afternoon of that day the Abbot came again to visit the Nunnery,
and sent for Cicely and Emlyn. They found him alone in the guest-hall,
walking up and down its length with a troubled face.

"Cicely Foterell," he said, without any form of greeting, "when last
we met you refused to sign the deed which I brought with me. Well, it
matters nothing, for that purchaser has gone back upon his bargain."

"Saying that he liked not the title?" suggested Cicely.

"Aye; though who taught you of titles and the ins and outs of law? But
what need to ask----?" and he glowered at Emlyn. "Well, let it pass, for
now I have a paper with me that you _must_ sign. Read it if you will. It
is harmless--only an instruction to the tenants of the lands your
father held to pay their rents to me this Michaelmas, as warden of that
property."

"Do they refuse, then, seeing that you hold it all, my Lord Abbot?"

"Aye, some one has been at work among them,