“It’s enough that I do ken,” the
Egyptian answered. “And this mair I ken,
that the captain of the soldiers is confident he’ll
nab every one o’ you that’s wanted anless
you do one thing.”
“What is ’t?”
“If you a’ run different ways you’re
lost, but if you keep thegither you’ll be able
to force a road into the country, whaur you can scatter.
That’s what he’s fleid you’ll do.”
“Then it’s what we will do.”
“It is what you will not do,” Gavin said
passionately. “The truth is not in this
wicked woman.”
But scarcely had he spoken when he knew that startling
news had reached the square. A murmur arose on
the skirts of the mob, and swept with the roar of
the sea towards the town-house. A detachment
of the soldiers were marching down the Roods from the
north.
“There’s some coming frae the east-town
end,” was the next intelligence; “and
they’ve gripped Sanders Webster, and auld Charles
Yuill has given himsel’ up.”
“You see, you see,” the gypsy said, flashing
triumph at Gavin.
“Lay down your weapons,” Gavin cried,
but his power over the people had gone.
“The Egyptian spoke true,” they shouted;
“dinna heed the minister.”
Gavin tried to seize the gypsy by the shoulders, but
she slipped past him down the stair, and crying “Follow
me!” ran round the town-house and down the brae.
“Woman!” he shouted after her, but she
only waved her arms scornfully. The people followed
her, many of the men still grasping their weapons,
but all in disorder. Within a minute after Gavin
saw the gleam of the ring on her finger, as she waved
her hands, he and Dow were alone in the square.
“She’s an awfu’ woman that,”
Rob said.” I saw her lauching.”
Gavin ground his teeth.
“Rob Dow,” he said, slowly, “if
I had not found Christ I would have throttled that
woman. You saw how she flouted me?”
IN WHICH THE SOLDIERS MEET THE AMAZONS OF THRUMS
Dow looked shamefacedly at the minister, and then
set off up the square.
“Where are you going, Rob?”
“To gie myself up. I maun do something
to let you see there’s one man in Thrums that
has mair faith in you than in a fliskmahoy.”
“And only one, Rob. But I don’t know
that they want to arrest you.”
“Ay, I had a hand in tying the polissman to
the—”
“I want to hear nothing about that,” Gavin
said, quickly.
“Will I hide, then?”
“I dare not advise you to do that. It would
be wrong.”
Half a score of fugitives tore past the town-house,
and were out of sight without a cry. There was
a tread of heavier feet, and a dozen soldiers, with
several policemen and two prisoners, appeared suddenly
on the north side of the square.
“Rob,” cried the minister in desperation,
“run!”
