what to expect; he would not have been surprised had they come to blows
there and then, and he held himself prepared for any event. He faced
the other pluckily enough and without flinching, and spoke up boldly in
answer. "So be it, Walter Blunt; I fear thee not in whatever way thou
mayst encounter me."

"Dost thou not?" said Blunt. "By'r Lady, thou'lt have cause to fear me
ere I am through with thee." He smiled a baleful, lingering smile, and
then turned slowly and walked away.

"What thinkest thou, Myles?" said Gascoyne, as the two left the armory
together.

"I think naught," said Myles gruffly. "He will not dare to touch me
to harm me. I fear him not." Nevertheless, he did not speak the full
feelings of his heart.

"I know not, Myles," said Gascoyne, shaking his head doubtfully. "Walter
Blunt is a parlous evil-minded knave, and methinks will do whatever evil
he promiseth."

"I fear him not," said Myles again; but his heart foreboded trouble.

The coming of the head squire made a very great change in the condition
of affairs. Even before that coming the bachelors had somewhat recovered
from their demoralization, and now again they began to pluck up their
confidence and to order the younger squires and pages upon this personal
service or upon that.

"See ye not," said Myles one day, when the Knights of the Rose were