nfully at this tragicomical scene.

"Why don't some other of you fellows hold him back too?" she cried. "He
likes nothing better than not to be let go. Don't you see what a
business he makes of it to rid himself of that feeble old man, whom he
could throw to the ground with half a hand if he had a mind to. Get out
of my way, will you? Men are out of place in a joke of this sort. My
mother was a witch and I'm one also. Do you know that I can open every
door before you with a single word. All you have got to do is to sharpen
your knives."

And with that she opened the wicker covering of her waggon, which
hitherto had been kept tightly closed, and as easily, as if she only
held a down cushion in her hand, she hauled forth little Elise.

The child's hands were tied in front of her, and her head was completely
enveloped in a thick woollen wrapper so that she could neither see nor
cry out.

Dame Zudar removed the wrapper from the little girl's head, and ordered
her to stand upright.

Then she produced a half burnt wax taper, the relic of some past
funeral, lit it, and placed it between the child's fettered fingers.

"The woman is not quite right," growled shaggy-headed Hanak. "She lights
a candle so that they may be better able to fire among us."

"Have no fear, shaggy pate. They will not fire at you. Go and huddle
behind the doorpost if you like. _I_ mean to go alone into the
courtyard, and will draw the snake out of its hole with my bare hand."

The besiegers did not need much persuasion to hide themselves. When Dame
Zudar passed through the gate with the child, everyone, not excepting
Thomas Bodza, hastened to make himself scarce.

The child she sent on in front with the lighted taper sticking between
its fettered fingers. She followed close behind. She had no fear of
bullets now.

When they came in front of the open square in the shutter, she made the
child stop, and bade it kneel down.

Then with a loud resounding voice she shouted up at the windows:

"Old Hetfalusy, are you there? Young Szephalmi, are you there?"

There was no answer.

"It is of no use denying yourselves. I am here to carry on my process
against you. It is the old, old suit in which my father lost his life
and my mother her reason. I have also brought along with me a tribunal
which cannot be corrupted. _I_ am now the stronger party."

"Take yourself off!" a hoarse, broken voice suddenly cried from the
window; it very much resembled old