hrough with great strides,
lifted the Governor to his feet, laid the factor on the broad of his
back, and clapped his pistol hand under one heavy heel. Then the
hangers flashed round Jason's face, and he stretched his arms and
laid out about him. In two minutes he had made a wide circle where
he stood, and in two minutes more the factor and his men, with
seneschal, sumner, auctioneer, and all the riffraff of the Church
Courts, were going off up the road with best foot foremost, and a
troop of the people, like a pack of hounds at full cry, behind.

Then the remnant of the crowd compared notes and bruises.

"Man alive, what a boy to fight," said one.

"Who was it?" said another.

"Och, Jason the Red, of coorse," said a third.

Jason was the only man badly injured. He had a deep cut over the
right brow, and though the wound bled freely he made light of it. But
Adam was much troubled at the sight.

"I much misdoubt me but we'll rue the day," he said.

Jason laughed at that, and they went back to Castletown together.
Greeba saw them coming, and all but fainted at the white bandage that
gleamed across Jason's forehead; but he bade her have no fear, for
his wound was nothing. Nevertheless she must needs dress it afresh,
though her deft fingers trembled woefully, and, seeing how near the
knife had come to the eye, all her heart was in her mouth. But he
only laughed at the bad gash, and thought with what cheer he would
take such another just to have the same tender hands bathe it, and
stitch it, and to see the troubled heaving of the round bosom that
was before him while his head was held down.

"Aren't you very proud of yourself, Jason?" she whispered softly, as
she finished.

"Why proud?" said he.

"It's the second time you have done as I have bidden you, and
suffered for doing so," she said.

He knew not what reply to make, scarcely realizing which way her
question tended. So, feeling very stupid, he said again,

"But why proud?"

"Aren't you, then?" she said. "Because _I_ am proud of you."

They were alone, and he saw her breast heave and her great eyes
gleam, and he felt dizzy. At the next instant their hands touched,
and then his blood boiled, and before he knew what he was doing he
had clasped the beautiful girl in his arms, and kissed her on the
lips and cheek. She sprang away from him, blushing deeply, but he
knew that she was not angry, for she smiled through her deep rich
color, as she fled out of t