growled and
shrank away from him. He pulled out his pistol and, walking up, presented
it at Nat Rodda's head. "Am I captain here, or amn't I? Very well, then:
I caught that cur to-day writin' a letter--never you mind of what sort.
'Twas a sort of which I'd promised that the man I caught writing one
should never write a second."

"You're mighty tender to women, all of a sudden!" Nat--to do him credit--
answered up pluckily enough for a man addressing the muzzle of a pistol
not two feet from his nose.

"We'll see about that by-and-by," said Roger grimly. "You've helped do me
a favour, and I'll cry quits with you and your brother for't. But I want
no more of you or your haveage: yon's the door--walk!"

"Oh, if that's how you take it,"--Nat Rodda shrugged his shoulders and
obeyed, his brother at his heels. One or two of the men would have
interfered, but Trevarthen checked them. Malachi alone went with the pair
to let them forth and bar the gates behind them.

"I thank ye, Master Stephen," said Nat, turning in the doorway with a
short laugh. "You've let two necks of your company out o' the halter."
He swung round and stepped out into the darkness.

His words smote like the stroke of a bell upon one or two hearts in the
kitchen. Trevarthen stepped forward briskly to undo the mischief.

"We'll have forty of the boys back before daylight: Dick Eva's taken a
fresh horse to carry round the warning. Get to your posts, lads, and
leave Jane here to cook supper. 'Tis 'one and all' now, and fight square;
and if Hick Rodda has been sending his dirty threats to Nansclowan and
frightening women, he's a good riddance, say I."

The woman in the chair heard all this, and saw Trevarthen draw Roger aside
as the men filed out. They were muttering. By-and-by Roger commanded
Jane to go and set candles in the parlour. Again they fell to muttering,
and so continued until she returned.

Roger Stephen came slowly forward to the hearth.

"Stand up!" he said, and Mrs. Stephen stood up.

She could not raise her eyes to his face, but felt that he was motioning
her to walk before him. Her limbs seemed weighted with lead, but she
obeyed.

They passed out together and into the parlour, where Roger shut the door
behind him and locked it.

XIV.

A dull fire burnt on the hearth, banked high upon a pile of white wood-ash.
Beside it lay a curiously-shaped ladle with a curl at the end of its iron
handle. Two candles stood