as aught I know it may, I bid you
farewell forever. Would that I had never seen your face, but well are
you named Red Eve, who, like the false Helen in a story you have never
heard, were born to bring brave men to their deaths. Again farewell,

De Noyon.

"Who is this Helen?" asked Eve of Sir Andrew when the letter had been
read.

"A fair Grecian, daughter, over whom nations fought when the world was
young, because of her beauty."

"Ah, well! she did not make herself beautiful, did she? and, perchance,
was more sinned against than sinning, since women, having but one life
to live, must follow their own hearts. But this Helen has been dead
a long while, so let her rest, if rest she may. And now it seems that
Acour is away and that my father lies very sick. What shall I do? Return
to him?"

"First I will make sure that the Frenchman has gone, and then we will
see, daughter."

So Sir Andrew sent out messengers who reported it to be true that Acour
had ridden straight to London to see the King and then sail for Dover.
Also they said that no Frenchmen were left at Blythburgh save those who
would never leave the place again, and that Sir John Clavering lay sick
in his bed at the manor.

"God fights for us!" said Sir Andrew with a little laugh. "This Acour's
greeting at Court may be warmer than he thinks and at the least you and
Dunwich are well rid of him. Though I had sooner that you stayed here,
to-morrow, daughter, you shall ride to Blythburgh. Should your father
die, as I think he will ere long, it might grieve you in the after years
to remember that you had bid him no farewell. If he recovers or is harsh
with you it will be easy for you to seek sanctuary again."

CHAPTER VII

THE LOVE PHILTRE

So it came about that on the morrow Eve and Sir Andrew, accompanied only
by a single serving man, fearing no guile since it seemed certain that
the Frenchmen were so far away, rode across the moor to Blythburgh. At
the manor-house they found the drawbridge up. The watchman at the gate
said also that his orders were to admit none, for the Frenchmen being
gone, there were but few to guard the place.

"What, good fellow," asked Eve, "not even the daughter of the house who
has heard that her father lies so sick?"

"Ay, he lies sick, lady," the man replied, "but such are his orders. Yet
if you will bide here a while, I'll go and learn his mind."

So he went and returned presently, saying that Sir John commanded that