It is harmless--only an instruction to the tenants of the lands your father held to pay their rents to me this Michaelmas, as warden of that property." "Do they refuse, then, seeing that you hold it all, my Lord Abbot ?" "Aye, some one has been at work among them, and the stubborn churls will not without instruction under your hand and seal.

The farms your father worked himself I have reaped, but last night every grain of corn and every fleece of wool were burned in the fire." "Then I pray you keep account of them, my Lord, that you may pay me their value when we come to settle our score, seeing that I never gave you leave to shear my sheep and harvest my corn." "You are pleased to be saucy, girl," he replied, biting his lip.

"I have no time to bandy words--sign, and do you witness, Emlyn Stower." Cicely took the document, glanced at it, then slowly tore it into four pieces and threw it to the floor.
"Rob me and my unborn child if you can and will, at least I'll be no thief's partner," she said quietly.

"Now, if you want my name, go forge it, for I sign nothing." The Abbot's face grew very evil.
"Do you remember, woman," he asked, "that here you are in my power?
Do you not know that rebellious sinners such as you are can be shut in a dark dungeon and fed on the bread and water of affliction and beaten with the rods of penance?
Will you do my bidding, or shall these things fall on you ?" Cicely's beautiful face flushed up, and for a moment her blue eyes filled with the tears of shame and terror.

Then they cleared again, and she looked at him boldly and answered-- "I know that a murderer can be a torturer also.