r done him any
willful wrong. But as events proved Jasper was of an exceeding cruel
and malignant nature, and his wickedness was all the worse because it
was of a cold and calculating sort. If a man gave him an honest
straightforward blow or buffet, it was not Jasper's way to strike back
there and then, face to face, but rather to wait until some evil chance
presented itself--and then, his adversary's back being turned, Jasper
would plant a dagger between his shoulders. In other words, he bided his
time, and when he did strike, struck at an unguarded place.

Now at that time I had very little idea that Jasper entertained such
hard thoughts of me--my knowledge of his cruelty only came by later
experience. All that spring and summer of 1578 I was living in a very
paradise, and cared not for Jasper or Dame Barbara or anybody else. My
uncle had sanctioned the betrothal of Rose Herrick and myself, and the
good vicar had given us his blessing in choice Latin. There had been
some little scolding of us from both manor-house and vicarage, for Sir
Thurstan and Master Timotheus both thought us too young to talk of love
and marriage; but in the end our pleadings prevailed, and it was
arranged that we were to consider ourselves plighted lovers, and that
our wedding was to take place in two years. This settled, there was
naught but happiness for me and Rose. I think we spent most of that
summer out of doors, wandering about the Chase, and talking as lovers
will, of all the days to come. Never once did there come a cloud over
the fair heaven of our hopes, unless it was once, when in a remote
corner of the woods, we suddenly came face to face with Jasper
Stapleton. He had been out with his bow, and when we met him he was
advancing along the path, with a young deer slung over his shoulders. At
the sound of our footsteps on the crackling underwood, he stopped,
looked up, and, recognizing us, turned hastily away and vanished in the
thick bushes.

"Why did Jasper go away so suddenly?" asked Rose.

"Because he was not minded to meet us," said I.

"But why? And I have not seen him these many weeks--he seems to avoid
me. Did you mark his face, Humphrey,--how white it turned when he set
eyes on us? And there was a look on it that frightened me--a look that
seemed to promise no love for you, Humphrey," she said.

"Have no fear, sweetheart," I answered. "Jasper is a strange fellow,
but he will do me no harm. He is only disappointed because