As Master Raymond walked up the street toward the Red Lion, he felt in
better spirits. He had secured the aid, if things should come to the
worst of a very influential friend--and one who, woman-like, would be apt
to go even farther than her word, as noble spirits in such cases are apt
to do. Therefore he was comparatively light-hearted.

Suddenly he felt a strong grasp upon his shoulder; and turning, he saw a
couple of men beside him. One he knew well as deputy-marshall Herrick,
of Salem.

"You are wanted at Salem, Master Raymond," said Marshall Herrick
gravely, producing a paper.

Raymond felt a sinking of heart as he glanced over it--it was the
warrant for his arrest, issued by Squire Hathorne.

"At whose complaint?" he asked, controlling his emotions, and speaking
quite calmly and pleasantly.

"At the complaint of Mistress Ann Putnam and Master Jethro Sands,"
replied the officer.

"Of witchcraft? That is very curious. For as Dr. Griggs knows, just
before I left Salem Farms, I was suffering from 'an evil hand' myself."

"Indeed!" said the officer.

"When am I to go?"

"Immediately. We have provided a horse for you."

"I should like to get my valise, and some clothes from the Red Lion."

The officer hesitated.

Master Raymond smiled pleasantly. "You must be hungry about this time of
day, and they have some of the best wine at the Lion I ever tasted. You
shall drink a bottle or two with me. You know that a man travels all the
better for a good dinner and a bottle of good wine."

The officers hesitated no longer. "You are a sensible man, Master
Raymond, whether you are a witch or not," said the deputy marshall.

"I think if the wine were better and plentier around Salem, there would
be fewer witches," rejoined Master Raymond; which the other officer
considered a very witty remark, judging by the way he laughed at it.

The result of this strategic movement of Master Raymond's, was that he
had a couple of very pleasant and good-humored officials to attend him
all the way to Salem jail, where they arrived in the course of the
evening. Proving that thus by the aid of a little metaphorical oil and
sugar, even official machinery could be made to work a good deal
smoother than it otherwise would. While the officers themselves
expressed their utter disbelief to the people they met, of the truth of
the charges that had been brought against Master Raymond; who in truth
was himself "an afflicted person," and had