from a catapult, planting the toe in the pit of poor Joshua's stomach,
causing him to roll over on the ground and howl with pain. The sheriff
by this time came on the scene and summoned sufficient help to bind her
to the chair.

"See to it that every strap and cord is secure, for if she should fall
she would drown," said the sheriff, and the men drew the leather straps
tight, while Ann Linkon continued to rail and abuse all about her.

"'Tis for the hussy that I am to suffer this," she cried. "Dorothe
Stevens bore me false witness. I never slandered her. There--there is
Hugh Price. Verily I spoke truly, as he knows."

Hugh Price, the young royalist, who had been talking politics with his
friend Roger, blushed.

At this moment, there appeared on the scene a young man twenty-eight
years of age, whose light blue eyes and frank, open face spoke honesty
and humanity. His knit brows and distressed features showed that he was
not in accord with the proceedings. He led the sheriff aside and spoke
hurriedly with him in an undertone, which no one could hear. It was
quite evident that he was making some request which the sheriff would
not grant, for he shook his head in a very emphatic manner, and those
nearest heard the official answer:

"No, no, the judgment of the court, the judgment of the court."

Dame Woodley, turning to a matron near, whispered: "Sarah Drummond,
there is John Stevens, the husband of the woman who had Ann Linkon
adjudged. How dare he come here?"