He stared at the audacity of the request, for as Barbara had never approached the place she indicated, his search promised to be a somewhat fruitless one. But meeting her resolute glance he turned without a word, and strode down into the deep tangle of gorse and bracken that covered the bottom of that dried-up ditch. Then Barbara turned to Ralph, and used all her arts to bring him to a more peaceable frame of mind. "Indeed, Ralph," she urged, "’tis sheer folly to be so enraged; you could scarce be more so had you run away in good truth. He meant not to offend thee, I am sure on’t. He spoke but what he knew. Doubtless all the royal side think thus of the fight." "But ’tis a sheer lie to say we ran away at the first shot, or for that matter, ran away at all. A foul, dastardly lie." "Oh, hush, Ralph. He speaks but as he has heard, and doubtless he believes it to be true. Anyhow, ’tis nought to fight about." "You don’t understand, Barbara," persisted the enraged man impatiently. "What should you know of a man’s honour, and when it behooves him to fight for it? I tell you he must answer for his words." "And I tell you you must not fight. Think, Ralph, suppose you killed each other, I should be alone." There were tears of desperation in her eyes; he was moved to pity. "There, there! Barbara, don’t you be troubled," he said, patting her hand with an air of humouring kindness. "I promise you we will not fight yet, not at least till you are in safety. I doubt not ’twill need both our wits to get out of this pother. A quarrel does not stale with delay, we’ll postpone it till more favourable date." And with that Barbara was for the present content. She had staved off the fight; who could tell what the future might bring? So they turned to seek Captain Protheroe, but he was not in sight, neither did he answer to their call. But hurrying to the edge of the fosse they peered down and saw him, on his knees, in a tangle of bracken, all his attention riveted upon a small packet which he held in his hands. Barbara called to him eagerly. "I have found my kerchief, ’tis needless to seek further. What have you there?" Then he rose to his feet, and climbed up to her side. The two on the bank stared at him in amazement; his eyes blazed with a strange light, and his voice trembled with excitement. "Mistress Barbara! Sir Ralph! What think you I have found? Nay, you would never dream it. ’Tis a miracle of wonder. ’Tis well-nigh inconceivable." "But what is it? What mean you?" they cried in amaze. His hand shook with eagerness as he held out his prize. ’Twas a small letter-case in green silk, richly embroidered in gold; a maze of scrolls, in the centre of which were the letters J. M. entwined beneath a coronet sewn with pearls. Barbara looked at it in doubt; what might be there to cause such desperate eagerness. "J. M.," she questioned. "That is——"