With Force and Arms

r face white as the snow had been. She saw the red mantle from an

first start over, I recalled that once before I had seen snow like that. Learned men said small Arctic plants in floating clouds, or tiny inse

le streak of dawn athwart a morning sky. They reached the inn door, and burst into the room scarce stopping to raise the latch. The shorter of

hey be demons of darkness; those who will be on trial to-morrow," and he fell to murmuring a psalm tune in a h

o my ears. The more so as I had heard that these New Englanders were a plain, practical people, much given to prayers and pious works. To hear Master Willis prate of mysterious beings

be no more after to-morrow, as their trial is set for then, and there wil

or burned to-day, this evil would not have fallen upon us. Who knows what else may

have some attention. Seeing that I was like to stay there some time without notice, so firmly had the fear l

ee men turned, as if to flee from the room. Verily, I believe they took me for a witch. Had not the

relief while the tavern owner a

you," said the matron. "'Tis so

eated her

from His Excellency Sir William Phips, and I was bidden to seek this inn, and to make it

g the missive I held out. "And I can scarce break the seal from the tr

crack 23the wax. Then, candles having been broug

ed by the French and the Indians from without, and by horrid witchcraft within. 'Tis enough to make an honest man believe the end of the world is nigh.

the Crown in the American Colonies. How we are to swoop down, by land and by sea, on the French i

possible

doctor, and you in wheelwright lore, Master Hobbs, than in feats of arms. As for me, I can point a fowling piece, or a rifle, with no trembling hand, and at

d; of spirits and witchcraft? The red snow I count not for much, having seen the same happening in the north of France once on a time.

amuel Parris. Verily the children be possessed by witches of the air, for their actions were most strange. They bore no marks, yet they continually cried out that witches ever thrust pins in their flesh. And Mistress Parris told me how pins were cast up from the ch

who the witches were?" I

ormenting them. They spoke of Tituba, an Indian servant in the same house with them, and of one, Marie de Guilfort, a

with the two thus

law of our Colony prescribes death for all wh

e children, the witches were seized by the constables, and now lie in Salem gaol. To-morrow is the trial day in the Oye

tle did I guess what perilous times were ahead; when no man's nor no woman's life was safe. When the false

the wheelwright, poi

fast whitening snow. Slowly the 26angry red died out, seeming to sink dow

d my eyes behold such a feat of

scene as peaceful as the day had been stormy. It was close on to nine o'cloc

uggested the physician. "'Tis at best a lonesome place, and, though I have n

to pass alone over the bridge whereon, only to-day, Tituba was taken.

ysic, "the road over the bridge i

mill that the other witch was observed to be plucking flowers l

go home, had not Willis urged that he was about to c

e mill was the best, but the wheelwright was stubborn. Suddenly he turned and ran across the snow toward his home. Left there alone

was filled with plans for leading men once more to battle. For I loved the strife of war, the clash of steel on steel, the smell of powder, and the sh

d been cold, and there was no heat in the room. Yet when I emerged I found the sunlit air warm, and it seemed as if Nature had forgotten her fier

laid hold of men that talk of war and 28fighting will scarce interest them no

ter to do come there with me. 'Twill be a sight, I warrant, you have never seen before. Nor have I, tho

which I had a great relish, was finished. While I fastened on

eautiful to look upon; a girl almost. Yet it but proves how the evil one can use even beauty to gain his ends. Marie de Guilfort is the name of the young witch. She is a French Huguenot, who, with her cousin, Lucille de Guilfort, and the latter's father, M. Louis de Guilfort, came to Salem some five years back. The

asked with some spirit, for I did n

purc

he one you call M

did not the child say that Marie tormented her with pins? And how coul

ht it was little use to argue with a

ugh to convict the girl of witchcraft?" I went on, rather c

o bring the matter to a close." We were at the court house

tead there was a calm quietness about it, a set, serious look on the faces that partook of a sense 30of a duty to be performed--one that could not be shirked. Into the room, with its high ceiling and dark oaken beams overhead, t

eems to know not any one now, though only yesterday he begged me to trust him for a glass of a

out. There were a few women present, bu

mark where Constable George Locker, a

, I

wo women ne

es

they cast their eyes this way!" and ba

brown bark of a pine tree. The maid sat with downcast eyes, and deadly terror written in every line of her shrin

st of her figure, and the hood of the garment was drawn up over her head. From this covering a dark ringlet of hair had escaped, and rest

ust then the court criers entered, calling loudly for silence. There was a pause, and

onathan Corwin," said Willis. "The trial