never thought to care again for human being. I have prayed much
that you should be brought from the twilight of Calvinism into the pure
light wherein walk the disciples of the blessed Ludovick."

They reached the square and mingled with the motly crowd that lined its
sides, leaving the centre occupied only by the murderer, his captors,
and the master. Followed by the Muggletonian, Landless made his way to
where the yellow locks of young Dick Whittington towered above the
crowd. The boy saw him coming, and edging past a knot of blacks, met
him in a little open space, whose only occupants were two or three
women, and an Indian squatting upon the ground. Leaning against a pine,
and fixing his gaze and, to all appearance, his attention upon the
central group where the overseer was just finishing a circumstantial
account of the chase, Landless said quietly:--

"You were of the party that took him?"

"That I was!" answered the boy gleefully. "Losh! but it was fun!" His
blue eyes danced with impish delight; a noiseless laugh showed all his
strong white teeth. "We went straight to the spot where you and Mistress
Patricia saw him by the lightning. There the dogs struck his trail and
the fun commenced. Over streams and fallen trees, and chinquepin ridges;
through bogs and myrtle thickets and miles of grape vines--swounds! but
it was hot work! Just look at the scratches on my face and hands! Joyce
Whitbread wouldn't know me! The Court spark, he wore a mask and saved
his beauty. He's a well-plucked one, though, took the lead and kept it,
and when it was over, treated us to usquebaugh at Luckey Doughty's
store. Well, we run the fox to earth in a Chickahominy village. Lord!
I'm sorry for the half king of the Chickahominies! He'll have to answer
to Governor and Council for letting red fox burrow in his village. Found
him squatted in a sassafras patch. Snarled and fought and tried to bite
like the beast he is. Woodson and the Court spark took him."

"Do you know what will be done with him now?"

"He'll be taken on to the gaol at the court-house."

"That is five miles from here," said Landless.

"Yes, near to the village where we took him. He'll be kept there until
they can try him. And they'll make short work of him. He'll be food for
crows directly."

The throng pressed upon them, forcing them nearer to the group beneath
the dead tree. The overseer had finished his account, and the master was
clearing his throat to speak. Lan