ed in touching the
body without a rupture of blood taking place or the body moving its
position one iota.

"Mary Durden, spinster, Nathan Grene, locksmith," repeated Sir George,
"answer to this third, last challenge, or thy last hope of escape is
gone."

Nathan Grene, fuming with ill-concealed rage, stepped out, and a loud
shriek announced the presence of Mary Durden, who was unwillingly
pushed into view by those around her. As soon as she had gained the
little open space that was yet left she fell upon the ground and
swooned away.

"See," said one, "the witch is guilty, she dare not touch the body."

"Drown her," shouted another. "Drown her or burn her."

The clouds which for some time had been gathering together, and
which by this time had completely obscured the moon, now burst with a
torrent of rain. A flash of lightning for a brief moment illuminated
the scene, and then died away again, leaving it more weird even than
it had been before. A faint roll of thunder broke upon the unpleasant
reverie into which the company had fallen, and Sir George's voice
ordering the oil lamps to be lighted, somewhat reassured the more
fearful among the spectators. A long five minutes elapsed before the
lights appeared, minutes of darkness and suspense, disturbed only
by the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, which rapidly grew
louder in sound.

Nathan Grene had touched the body, and the trial had proclaimed him
innocent. Indeed, Sir George fully expected it would do so, seeing
that Nathan had been fast bound in the stocks at the time the crime
was perpetrated. His name had only been called out because the baron
had a standing dislike to the man. But the woman still lay on the
rough stones without offering a sign of life.

"Sir George, is that the witch?" asked De Lacey.

"It is."

"Then she is praying to her master the devil. Listen!"

In the dread stillness of those awful minutes it was not difficult to
discover that she was moaning. The crowd was stricken with terror, and
catching up the words which Sir John had let fall, reiterated the cry
which even yet added to the dismal terror of the scene.

"This cannot long endure," said Sir George, as a vivid flash of
lightning almost, for the moment, blinded him.

A long, loud roll of thunder, which terminated in a crashing peal, was
the only answer he received, and while the noise was at its loudest,
Mary Durden started to her feet and dashed forward to touch the b