e woman is
mad. I have just come from Capri, with this boy. Many of you know
me, for I am often here; and now, when I come, am I to be insulted
by a madwoman? Are you--"

"Seize him! seize the boy! the boy! the blasphemer!" yelled the hag.

Ludlow placed his hand on David's head, and looked with a smile on
the crowd nearest.

"Does her madness usually take this form, gentlemen?" he added;
"does she usually show this animosity to little boys and children?"

At this question, which was asked in an easy and natural manner,
the crowd looked abashed.

They began to think that the woman was crazy. Those to whom Ludlow
had spoken were the very men who had brought the beam but a few
minutes before. They now edged slowly away, and began to think that
they had done a very silly thing.

"What's the trouble, signori?" asked Ludlow, in the same easy tone,
of those who were nearest.

"Well, they say there are some people inside that desecrated the
church--some boys--"

"What--boys?" said Ludlow, with a smile. "Who says so?"

The men shrugged their shoulders.

"She says so."

Ludlow thereupon shrugged his shoulders.

"Seize him! seize him! seize him!" yelled the hag, who all this
time had kept up her insane outcry.

"Somebody had better seize _her_," said Ludlow, with a laugh. "Why,
gentlemen, she will give your town a very bad name."

The crowd nearest had already undergone a revulsion of feeling.
The assault of the old woman on two harmless strangers seemed too
wanton to be tolerated. Ludlow's easy manner and calm language
restored them fully to their senses, and the sight of his revolver
effectually overawed the more excitable or reckless. They were also
jealous of the good name of the town, and now began to be enraged
with the old woman. A murmur passed through them. Curses were freely
lavished upon her, and the threats which but a short time ago had
been directed against the landlord and his guests, were now hurled
at her. The hag, however, in her fury, was quite unconscious of
all this, and continued to yell as before, endeavoring to hound
them on against David. But the crowd was now disgusted with her
and her yells.

"Stop your diabolical yells!" cried an angry voice. "Go home, and
stay home, or you'll have a strait jacket put on you."

The hag stopped short, as though thunderstruck, and looked around
with staring eyes. It was a young man who thus addressed her: he
was grasping her arm and looking savagel