-I have been here before this night to meet--"

"And I have been here to meet--quite as often as you, I hope," retorted
Dorothy.

They say that love blinds a man. It must also have deafened John, since he
did not recognize his sweetheart's voice.

"It may be true that you have been here before this evening," retorted
John, angrily; "but you shall not remain here now. If you wish to save
yourself trouble, leave at once. If you stalk about in the forest, I will
run you through and leave you for the crows to pick."

"I have no intention of leaving, and if I were to do so you would regret
it; by my beard, you would regret it," answered the girl, pleased to see
John in his overbearing, commanding mood. His stupidity was past
comprehension.

"Defend yourself," said John, drawing his sword.

"Now he will surely know the truth," thought Dorothy, but she said: "I am
much younger than you, and am not so large and strong. I am unskilled in
the use of a sword, and therefore am I no match for Sir John Manners than
whom, I have heard, there is no better swordsman, stronger arm, nor braver
heart in England."

"You flatter me, my friend," returned John, forced into a good humor
against his will; "but you must leave. He who cannot defend himself must
yield; it is the law of nature and of men."

John advanced toward Dorothy, who retreated stepping backward, holding her
arm over her face.

"I am ready to yield if you wish. In fact, I am eager to yield--more eager
than you can know," she cried.

"It is well," answered John, putting his sword in sheath.

"But," continued Dorothy, "I will not go away."

"Then you must fight," said John.

"I tell you again I am willing, nay, eager to yield to you, but I also
tell you I cannot fight in the way you would have me. In other ways
perhaps I can fight quite as well as anybody. But really, I am ashamed to
draw my sword, since to do so would show you how poorly I am equipped to
defend myself under your great laws of nature and of man. Again, I wish to
assure you that I am more than eager to yield; but I cannot fight you, and
I will not go away."

The wonder never ceases that John did not recognize her. She took no pains
to hide her identity, and after a few moments of concealment she was
anxious that John should discover her under my garments.

"I would know his voice," she thought, "did he wear all the petticoats in
Derbyshire."

"What shall I do with you?" cried John, amused and