Heralds of Empire

often played in childhood; and through the darkness came the

s Mr. Stocking, as well-meaning a man as trod earth, obdurate beyond persuasion against poor M. Picot under his charge. Might I not speak to the French doctor

is brass key made against his witchcraft, and

usion with M. Picot, the warden of the court-house grew

man' also, or woman, that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death.' Thi

man's head, Uncle Eli. Both must be learned. That is all the meaning of his jars and crucibles. He is only trying to learn what laws God o

yes as though my monstr

,'" he cried doggedly. "Do the Scriptur

s witchcraft is a liar. There's no such thing. That is why the Scrip

tchcraft, and you would

to say if you give an enemy an inch he will claim an ell. 'Twas so with Eli Kirk

n! It shall utterly be put away from you! Because of this hidden iniqui

of jaw, cold of eye, and exalted with that gloomy fervour which counts burning life's highest joy. Among them was the famous wi

rvellous signs," said one, extending

ded another with jaw of steel. And one description of the ge

ented young Mather, keen to be heard then, as he always was. "Brethren,

scope to forecast that y

e saucy miss," meaning thereby Mistress Hortense, and another prayed Heaven through his nose that his daughter might "lie in her grave ere she minced her steps with such dissoluteness of hair and unseemly broideries and bright col

em who are doing shameful acts to the innocent walk shamefacedly! For shame, sirs, to cloak malice and jealousy of M. Picot under religion! New England will re

gape, but now the hot bl

Then, as if to atone for that violence:

the house dumb wi

artyr was M. Picot. Something cold touched my hand through the dark, and there crouched M. Picot's hound, whining for its master. Automatically I followed across the commons to t

rce diatribe against the dark arts with looks of approbation that boded ill for M. Picot; and at every fresh fusillade of texts to bolster his argument, the line of deacons below the elders glanced back at the preacher approvingly. Rebecca sat on that side of the congregation assigned to the women with a dumb look of sympathy on the sweet hooded f

an right! There were tyrants of souls as well as tyrants of sword. Prayers were uttered that were fitter for hearing in hell than in Heaven. Good men could deceive themselves into crime cloaking spiritual malice, sect jealousy, race hatred with an unctuous text. Here, in New England, where men had come for freedom, was tyranny masking in the guise of reli

fled to it that night. And, indeed, when you come to think of my breaki

a transfer of the case meant that the Church would throw the onus of executing

re was no chance of sudden rescue. New Engl

but what mercy had Eli Kirke received at the hand

t the walls were stone, and the ni

if there had been any hope that

pped quietly into the dark of the church. I felt rather than saw a nearing presence. But I paid no

y hands. In the gloom ther

bec

and laid a hand on my arm. She was struggling to s

tense-s

ar, Re

amsay." A tumult of effort. "I

r place,

-if-if-if I took her pl

, kind Rebecca? Would 't be any better to send

abated, and she puzz

I would a sister, "dear child, run home. F

broader mantle across our blunders tha

y own hands. I have sent her c

w, Rebecca,

stood

a-what

en to see me for

arce belie

ay to-night. Wil

Rebe

asked a thing

Rebe

she interrupted, with a little sharp,

emanded, "what

ld that she was: "An you come not when I

vernice scruples of a Puritan conscience? And was no

at I had cannoned into open arms befo

ms about me. "'Tis Ramsay himself, with a sword li

not hear

ou all day long, packed like a herring in a pickle! 'Twas a pretty kettle of fish in you

it that fools didn't love in the right place-which was not to the point, what

ther, sails for England a

with Mistress Hortens

ift ship t

"-I caught at the hope. "

r it," snaps Jack

rison. He pointed to a

isoners," he said. "T

ose bars with a long pole," I obs

y," answ

becca's house to th

zically, "do you happen to h

s father

to-night," says he, facing me squ

hen I remembered the vo

did Rebec

say. They must either lie like a Dutchman and be damned, or tell the truth and be hange

me to a bench seat opposite the fireplace and fastened her gaze above the m

e those,

onscience running from fire. "The brass one unlocks the gre

mine them,

evasively, with great trepidation, "but come back soo

s, I was down the

Jack! The brass one for the b

he laughed in that awful mockery of the axeman's block. "Fall-back-fall-edge! If there's any

ay. The gate cre

for what see

s with a clatter of the chairmen's feet; but no words were bandied by the fellows, for a Sabbath hush lay over the night.

he wick above snuffed out. The figure drew in without a single look, leaving the door ajar. But an hour ago, the iron righteousness o

Two hooded figures slipped through the dark. Jack Bat

be a pretty to-do of witchcraft to-morrow when they find a ce

Gillam'

of the north, if she's there," a

way with a flagon that reamed to a bead

erted as of old to the folds of her white stom

ss you!-and bless you!-and

poor child

y," she stammered. "The bung was h

forever!" I called fro

nt voice of a forlorn fi

s my clearest memory of her with the thi

en to sail, "a pirateer, along o' his own risk and gain," explained the mate with a wink, "pirateer or privateer, call 'em what you will, Mister; the Susan with white sails in Boston Town, and Le Bon Gar?on with sails black as the devil himself up in Quebec, ha-ha-and I'll give ye odds on it, Mister, the

given the slip to the King's Company, he sails from Quebec in ship o' his own.

hat I had then small care and shook the loqu

s, which passed unnoticed; for the town bell had toll

dawn streaks of a muffled sky, and at last

e as paste. Then a New Amsterdam gentleman slipped out

ked, "where

anced from

Jack Battle, not knowing how to play down, stood blushing, cap in hand, till she laughed a queer

hand touched mine quick fare

a look o

y in Paradise than

sthead. The ship careened across the

ched a d

or sailors in En

ew what he had meant by fools

y, Jack! She ha

e fading steel point abov

hurt yon sta

n the eyes; and the arrows

rted till the sun came up over the pillowed wa

like rays behind the gl

se was

end-all to