and the stubborn churls will
not without instruction under your hand and seal. The farms your father
worked himself I have reaped, but last night every grain of corn and
every fleece of wool were burned in the fire."

"Then I pray you keep account of them, my Lord, that you may pay me
their value when we come to settle our score, seeing that I never gave
you leave to shear my sheep and harvest my corn."

"You are pleased to be saucy, girl," he replied, biting his lip. "I have
no time to bandy words--sign, and do you witness, Emlyn Stower."

Cicely took the document, glanced at it, then slowly tore it into four
pieces and threw it to the floor.

"Rob me and my unborn child if you can and will, at least I'll be no
thief's partner," she said quietly. "Now, if you want my name, go forge
it, for I sign nothing."

The Abbot's face grew very evil.

"Do you remember, woman," he asked, "that here you are in my power? Do
you not know that rebellious sinners such as you are can be shut in a
dark dungeon and fed on the bread and water of affliction and beaten
with the rods of penance? Will you do my bidding, or shall these things
fall on you?"

Cicely's beautiful face flushed up, and for a moment her blue eyes
filled with the tears of shame and terror. Then they cleared again, and
she looked at him boldly and answered--

"I know that a murderer can be a torturer also. Why should not he who
butchered the father scourge the daughter too? But I know also that
there is a God who protects the innocent, though sometimes He is slow
to lift His hand, and to Him I appeal, my Lord Abbot. I know, moreover,
that I am Foterell and Carfax, and that no man or woman of my blood has
ever yet yielded to fear or pain. I sign nothing," and, turning, she
left the room.

Now the Abbot and Emlyn were alone. Suddenly, before she could speak,
for her tongue was tied with rage, he began to rate and curse her and
to threaten horrible things against her and her mistress, such things as
only a cruel Spaniard could imagine. At length he paused for breath, and
she broke in--

"Peace, wicked man, lest the roof fall on you, for I am sure that every
cruel word you speak shall become a snake to strike you. Will you not
take warning by what befell you last night, or must there be more such
lessons?"

"Oho!" he answered; "so you know of that, do you? As I thought, your
witchcraft was at work there."

"How can I help knowing what the whole sky blazoned