t down.

In a few moments all the house was in a stir and commotion. A
terrible whisper was running from mouth to mouth. That cart
standing grimly silent in the street below carried, it was said, a
terrible load. Beneath its heavy cover lay the bodies of about
twenty victims of Indian ferocity; and the guardians of the load
were stern-faced men, bearing recent scars upon their own persons,
who ate and drank in stony silence, and only waited till the
Assembly had met before completing their grim mission.

The thing had got wind in the town by now, and the square space was
thronged. The members of the Assembly looked a little uneasy as
they passed through the crowd, but not a sound was made till all
had gathered in the upper room.

Then from out the yard of the inn was dragged the cart. No horses
were fastened to it. The young men of the city dragged it out and
pushed it along. The silent, grim-faced guardians walked in front.
As it reached the square the crowd sent up a groaning cry, and
opened right and left for the dreadful load to be set in position
before the windows of the great room where the Assembly had met.

Then the cover was thrown back, and yells and cries arose from all.
Shouts were raised for the Assembly to come and look at their work.

There was no resisting the mandate of the crowd. White and
trembling, the members of the Assembly were had out upon the steps,
and forced to look at the bodies of their victims. The crowd
hooted, groaned, yelled with maddened fury. The advocates of peace
shrank into themselves, appalled at the evidences of barbarities
they had sought to believe exaggerated. It was useless now to
attempt to deny the truth of what had been reported.

Back they slunk into the Assembly House, white and trembling, and
for the moment cowed. The cart was moved on, and stopped in front
of house after house where notable Quakers dwelt who were not
members of the Assembly. They were called to come to their windows
and look, and were greeted with hisses and curses.

The very next day a paper, under preparation by a number of the
leading citizens at the suggestion of the Governor, was presented
to the Assembly under the title of a "Representation." It contained
a stern appeal for the organization of measures of defence, and
ended by the dignified and significant words:

"You will forgive us, gentlemen, if we assume characters somewhat
higher than that of humble suitors praying for the defence