after.

Without a word to any one Lizzi went to her room, which with the door
closed became a holy place, where Grief was high-priest. Peter McAnay
climbed the stairs softly and listened outside the door. The only sound
he heard was the light tapping of her heel on the floor as she danced
the baby on her knee.

Levi escorted Parson Lawrence to Seth Reed's house, and Blind Benner
sought his home.

Matthi and Cassi went aimlessly out into the streets. Their oath had not
been kept: Gill had escaped without punishment from them. They had not
settled with him, because the Queen had forbidden them to harm him. Had
they met him on the street, they would have stood aside, accepting the
situation, while they thirsted for his blood.

On his way home from Seth Reed's, Levi stopped at Squire Harker's. From
that official he learned of the bargain made by him and Gill in the
shoe-shop. With this information to impart, Levi called on Squire
Parsons and advised him to ride immediately to Squire Barton and procure
a warrant for the arrest of both Squire Harker and Gill. Squire Parsons
acted on the suggestion, and by midnight was far up the Boomer Creek
road. The night was far spent when, warrant in hand, he set out to
return to Three-Sisters. He rode hard, hoping to reach the village by
daybreak. About a mile from the town his horse stumbled over a loose
plank on a Boomer Creek bridge, and lamed himself so badly that the
Squire was compelled to walk.

* * * * *

Lizzi rose early after a sleepless night, and taking the boy downstairs
placed him in the cradle. He was sound asleep, and the noise she made in
building a fire in the stove did not disturb him.

While the fire was catching she sat with her elbows resting on her knees
and her hands clasped before her. Presently the sound of many feet
marching in measured tread reached her. It grew more distinct, then
ceased for a moment, was heard again, growing gradually fainter. She
listened to it as if in a stupor, while the bacon sizzled meaningly in
the skillet and the tea-kettle hummed a busy tune.

A surly, resolute crowd was leading John Gillfillan to the bridge to
hang him. At first the intention was to lynch him before the Block, but
some of the men urged in opposition to this plan that it would be too
hard on Lizzi when she should learn that he had been killed in front of
her door and she unable to prevent it because she was ignorant of it.
The