appalled by a sight so strange and
audacious, that they looked on with a sort of stupefied astonishment. No
one offered, by act or word, the slightest interruption.

The rioters, on their part, continued to act with the same air
of deliberate confidence and security which had marked all their
proceedings. When the object of their resentment dropped one of his
slippers, they stopped, sought for it, and replaced it upon his foot
with great deliberation. As they descended the Bow towards the fatal
spot where they designed to complete their purpose, it was suggested
that there should be a rope kept in readiness. For this purpose the
booth of a man who dealt in cordage was forced open, a coil of rope fit
for their purpose was selected to serve as a halter, and the dealer next
morning found that a guinea had been left on his counter in exchange; so
anxious were the perpetrators of this daring action to show that they
meditated not the slightest wrong or infraction of law, excepting so far
so as Porteous was himself concerned.

Leading, or carrying along with them, in this determined and regular
manner, the object of their vengeance, they at length reached the place
of common execution, the scene of his crime, and destined spot of
his sufferings. Several of the rioters (if they should not rather be
described as conspirators) endeavoured to remove the stone which filled
up the socket in which the end of the fatal tree was sunk when it
was erected for its fatal purpose; others sought for the means of
constructing a temporary gibbet, the place in which the gallows itself
was deposited being reported too secure to be forced, without much loss
of time. Butler endeavoured to avail himself of the delay afforded by
these circumstances, to turn the people from their desperate design.
"For God's sake," he exclaimed, "remember it is the image of your
Creator which you are about to deface in the person of this unfortunate
man! Wretched as he is, and wicked as he may be, he has a share in every
promise of Scripture, and you cannot destroy him in impenitence without
blotting his name from the Book of Life--Do not destroy soul and body;
give time for preparation."

"What time had they," returned a stern voice, "whom he murdered on this
very spot?--The laws both of God and man call for his death."

"But what, my friends," insisted Butler, with a generous disregard to
his own safety--"what hath constituted you his judges?"

"We are not h