ewhere ahead, to check the supposed Copernicus in his
obstinate flight.

To the right they turned, through St. Clement's Lane into Crooked Lane,
and the ever-growing mob clattered noisily after them, shouting and
laughing a gleeful chorus to her occasional solo.

Leaving Eastcheap and its grimy tenements, they emerged from New Fish
Street and saw the gleam of the river ahead of them.

At this moment one of the following crowd, more enterprising than his
fellows, ran close up behind Rebecca and, clutching the edge of her
jacket, sought to restrain her.

"Toll, lass, toll!" he shouted. "Who gave thee leave to run races in
London streets?"

Rebecca became suddenly fully conscious for the first time of the
sensation she had created. Stopping short, she swung herself free and
looked her bold assailant fairly in the face.

"Well, young feller," she said, with icy dignity, "what can I do fer
you?"

The loafer fell back as she turned, and when she had spoken, he turned
in mock alarm and fled, crying as he ran:

"Save us--save us! Ugly and old as a witch, I trow!"

Those in the background caught his final words and set up a new cry
which boded Rebecca no good.

"A witch--a witch! Seize her! Stone her!"

As they now hung back momentarily in a new dread, self-created in their
superstitious minds, Rebecca turned again to the chase, but was sorely
put out to find that her pause had given the supposed Droop the
advantage of a considerable gain. He was now not far from the river
side. Hoping he could go no farther, she set off once more in pursuit,
observing silence in order to save her breath.

She would apparently have need of it to save herself, for the stragglers
in her wake were now impelled by a more dangerous motive than mere
curiosity or mischief. The cry of "Witch" had awakened cruel depths in
their breasts, and they pressed forward in close ranks with less noise
and greater menace than before.

Two or three rough fellows paused to kick stones loose from the clay of
the streets, and in a few moments the all-unconscious Rebecca would have
found herself in a really terrible predicament but for an accident
seemingly without bearing upon her circumstances.

Without warning, someone in the upper story of one of the houses near by
threw from a window a pail of dirty water, which fell with a startling
splash a few feet in front of Rebecca.

She stopped in alarm and looked up severely.

"I declare to goodness! I