gh her father and brother laughed at
her fear, they humoured her, and were willing enough to let her
keep safe at home: for Simon Dowsett was not a man to be trifled
with, and he might very likely have heard before now that the woman
he had vowed to make his wife was to be given in marriage to his
rival.

The days, however, fled by without any event to arouse real
disquiet, and on the morrow Joan would pass to the sturdy keeping
of the young smith, whose new house stood well flanked between his
father's dwelling and the forge in the heart of the village where
law-abiding persons dwelt in fair security.

The eve of the marriage day had come and gone. The household had
retired to rest. Paul and Edward were in their raftered room, which
was better lighted by the fire of logs than by the feeble rush
light glimmering on the table. Fuel was so plentiful in that wooded
country that all the hearths blazed in cold weather with the
sputtering pine logs, which gave out an aromatic scent pleasant to
the nostril.

As they closed the door behind them, Edward laid a hand upon his
companion's arm and said:

"Good Paul, shall we two hold a vigil this night? I misdoubt me
that some mischief is meditated toward Mistress Joan this night. I
would that we might keep watch and ward."

"With all my heart," answered Paul readily, instinctively laying
his hand upon his poniard. "But what makes you think that evil is
intended?"

"I scarce know, but so it is. Noted you not how quiet and sluggish
the dogs were at suppertime tonight? They would scarce come to
receive a morsel of meat, and as often as not turned away in
indifference, and curled themselves to sleep again. Indoors and out
they are all alike. And did you not hear Jack Devenish say as he
came in from his last round that he feared the great black watchdog
in the yard would not live till morning, he seemed so sick and out
of sorts? I wondered then that no one thought strange hands had
been tampering with them; but all the farmer said was that he
supposed they had gorged themselves upon the refuse meat of the
sheep they had been killing--and I liked not to say ought to alarm
them, for it may be as they say, and surely they ought best to
know."

"Nevertheless we may well make ourselves watchdogs for tonight,"
said Paul. "If evil is meant against the girl, this is the last
chance that bold Devil's Own, as they call him, will have of
getting her into his power. They all call him a