nty kings, and cannot be pacified. He says the king's
away from Stirling, and this execution must be put by for another ten
days, which is impossible."

"Allow me a word in your ear privately," said the beggar to the
sheriff.

"I'll see you after the job's done," replied the badgered man. "I have
no more places to give away, you must just stand your chances with the
mob."

Baldy put his open hand to the side of his mouth and whispered to the
sheriff:

"This beggar man," he said, "has been misused by a gang of thieves in
Torwood Forest."

"I cannot attend to that now," rejoined the sheriff with increasing
irritation.

"No, no," continued Baldy suavely, "it's no that, but he's got a
frightful dunner on the top o' the head, and he thinks he's the king."

"I _am_ the king," cried the beggar, overhearing the last word of
caution, "and I warn you, sir, that you proceed with this execution
at your peril. I am James of Scotland, and I forbid the hanging."

At this moment there broke through the insufficient military guard a
wild unkempt figure, whose appearance caused trepidation to the
already much-tried sheriff.

"There's the crazy cobbler again," he moaned dejectedly. "Now the
fat's all in the fire. I think I'll hang the three of them, trial or
no trial."

"Oh, your majesty!" cried the cobbler,--and it was hard to say which
of the two was the more disreputable in appearance,--"this man
Hutchinson is innocent. You will surely not allow the hanging to take
place, now you are here."

"I'll not allow it, if I can prevent it, and can get this fool of a
sheriff to listen."

"Fool of a sheriff! say you," stuttered that official in rising anger.
"Here, guard, take these two ragamuffins into custody, and see that
they are kept quiet till this hanging's done with. Hutchinson, get up
on the scaffold; this is all your fault. Hangman, do your duty."

Baldy Hutchinson, begging the cobbler to make no further trouble,
mounted the steps leading to the platform, the hangman close behind
him. Before the guard could lay hands on the king, he sprang also up
the steps, and took a place on the outward edge of the scaffold.
Raising his hand, he demanded silence.

"I am James, King of Scotland," he proclaimed in stentorian tones. "I
command you as loyal subjects to depart to your homes. There will be
no execution to-day. The king reprieves Baldy Hutchinson."

The cobbler stood at the king's back, and when he had ended, lifted
h