elieved
them.

_Martha_ (_laughing_). That I would not, goodman. I would have said
that the maids should be sent home and soundly trounced, then put to
bed, with a quart bowl of sage tea apiece.

_Giles._ Talk so if you will. One of these days folk will say you
be a witch yourself. You were ever hard-skulled, and could knock
your head long against a truth without being pricked by it. Hold out
if you can, when only this morning the ox and the cat were took so
strangely here in our own household.

_Martha._ Shame on you, goodman! The ox and the cat themselves
would laugh at you. The cat ate a rat, and it did not set well on
her stomach, and the ox slipped in the mire in the yard.

_Nancy._ 'Twas more than that. I know, I know.

_Giles._ Laugh if you will, wife. Mayhap you know more about it
than other folk. You never could abide the cat. I am going to bed,
if I can first go to prayer. Last night the words went from me
strangely! But you will laugh at that. [_Lights a candle. Exit._

_Phoebe._ Aunt Corey, may I eat an apple?

_Martha._ Not to-night. 'Twill give you the nightmare.

_Phoebe._ No, 'twill not.

_Martha._ Be still!

_There is a knock._ Olive _opens the door. Enter_ Paul Bayley. Ann
_starts up._

_Paul._ Good-evening, goodwife. Good-evening, Olive. Good-evening,
Ann. 'Tis a fine night out.

_Ann._ I must be going; 'tis late.

_Olive._ Nay, Ann, 'tis not late. Wait, and Paul will go home with
you through the wood.

_Ann._ I must be going.

_Paul_ (_hesitatingly_). Then let me go with you, Mistress Ann! I
can well do my errand here later.

_Ann._ Nay, I can wait whilst you do the errand, if you are speedy.
I fear lest the delay would make you ill at ease.

_Martha_ (_quickly_). There is no need, Paul. I will go with Ann. I
want to borrow a hood pattern of Goodwife Nourse on the way.

_Paul._ But will you not be afraid, goodwife?

_Martha._ Afraid, and the moon at a good half, and only a short way
to go?

_Paul._ But you have to go through the wood.

_Martha._ The wood! A stretch as long as this room--six ash-trees,
one butternut, and a birch sapling thrown in for a witch spectre.
Say no more, Paul. Sit you down and keep Olive company. I will go,
if only for the sake of showing these silly little hussies that
there is no call for a gospel woman with prayer in her heart to be
afraid of anything but the wrath of God. [_Puts a blanket over her
head._

_Ann._ I want no