ry bewilderment. But Pastor Tappau, that gaunt, grey man,
lifting himself to his utmost height, signed to them to go back, to
keep still while he addressed them; and then he told them, that instant
vengeance was not just, deliberate punishment; that there would be need
of conviction, perchance of confession--he hoped for some redress for
his suffering children from her revelations, if she were brought to
confession. They must leave the culprit in his hands, and in those of
his brother ministers, that they might wrestle with Satan before
delivering her up to the civil power. He spoke well, for he spoke from
the heart of a father seeing his children exposed to dreadful and
mysterious suffering, and firmly believing that he now held the clue in
his hand which should ultimately release them and their
fellow-sufferers. And the congregation moaned themselves into
unsatisfied submission, and listened to his long, passionate prayer,
which he uplifted even while the hapless Hota stood there, guarded and
bound by two men, who glared at her like bloodhounds ready to slip,
even while the prayer ended in the words of the merciful Saviour.

Lois sickened and shuddered at the whole scene; and this was no
intellectual shuddering at the folly and superstition of the people,
but tender moral shuddering at the sight of guilt which she believed
in, and at the evidence of men's hatred and abhorrence, which, when
shown even to the guilty, troubled and distressed her merciful heart.
She followed her aunt and cousins out into the open air, with downcast
eyes and pale face. Grace Hickson was going home with a feeling of
triumphant relief at the detection of the guilty one. Faith alone
seemed uneasy and disturbed beyond her wont, for Manasseh received the
whole transaction as the fulfilment of a prophecy, and Prudence was
excited by the novel scene into a state of discordant high spirits.

'I am quite as old as Hester Tappau,' said she; 'her birthday is in
September and mine in October.'

'What has that to do with it?' said Faith, sharply.

'Nothing, only she seemed such a little thing for all those grave
ministers to be praying for, and so many folk come from a
distance--some from Boston they said--all for her sake, as it were.
Why, didst thou see, it was godly Mr. Henwick that held her head when
he wriggled so, and old Madam Holbrook had herself helped upon a chair
to see the better. I wonder how long I might wriggle, before great and
godl