r Taunton," said Herrick.

There was a small fire burning on the hearth, for the evening was a
little cool, and the other constable threw the book amidst the live
coals; but was surprised to see that it did not flame up rapidly.

"That is witchcraft, if there ever was witchcraft!" said Jethro Sands,
who was at the front of the crowd. "See, it will not burn. The Devil
looks out for his own."

"Yes, we shall have to stay here all night, if we wait for that book to
burn up," said Master Herrick. "Now if it had been a Bible, or a
Psalm-book, it would have been consumed by this time."

"My father told me," said one of the crowd, "that they were once six
weeks trying to burn up some witch's book in Holland, and then had to
tear each leaf separately before they could burn it."

"Where is the yellow bird--her familiar--that she was sending on some
witch's errand when we were watching at the window?" said another of the
crowd.

"Oh, it's not likely you will find the yellow bird," replied Herrick.
"It is halfway down to hell by this time."

"No, there it is!" cried Jethro Sands, pointing to a ledge over the
door, where the canary-bird had flown in its fright.

"Kill it! kill the familiar! Kill the devil's imp!" came in various
voices, the angry tones being not without an inflection of fear.

Several pulled out their rapiers. Jethro was the quickest. He made a
desperate lunge at the little creature, and impaled it on the point of
his weapon.

Dulcibel shook off the hold of the constable and sprang forward. "Oh, my
pretty Cherry," she cried, taking the dead bird from the point of the
rapier. "You wretch! to harm an innocent little creature like that!" and
she smoothed the feathers of the bird and kissed its little head.

"Take it from her! kill the witch!" cried some rude women in the outer
circles of the crowd.

"Yes, mistress, this is more than good Christian people can be expected
to endure," said constable Herrick, sternly, snatching the bird from her
and tossing it into the fire. "Let us see if the imp will burn any
quicker than the book."

"Ah, she forgot to charm it," said the other constable, as the little
feathers blazed up in a blue flame.

"Yes, but note the color," said Jethro. "No Christian bird ever blazed
in that color."

"Neither they ever did!" echoed another, and they looked into each
other's faces and shook their heads solemnly.

At this moment Antipas Newton was led to the door of the room, i