sent moment, however, the offender slunk away with his
reproof, and the meeting proceeded to consider other matters, for, while
the new government felt itself competent to deal with matters of life
and death, it also found no matter too trifling for its attention.

Four days later Edward Dotey and Edward Lister, their wounds comfortably
healed, were brought out into the market place as in fond reminiscence
of home the Pilgrims called what is now the Town Square of Plymouth, and
each offender was solemnly tied neck and heels together,--an attitude at
once ignominious and painful.

The governor, with Allerton his assistant, the captain, the elder,
Winslow, Hopkins, and Warren stood formally arrayed to witness the
execution of the sentence, which Billington was forced to carry out. The
less important members of the community surrounded the scene, and from
amid the fluctuating crowd murmurs of amaze, of pity, of approval, or
the reverse became from time to time audible.

"Nay, then, 't is a shame to see Christian men so served, and they so
scarce a commodity in these parts," declared Helen Billington to her
neighbor Mistress Hopkins, who nippingly replied,--

"Mayhap we've mistook the men we've put in power."

"Ay," returned the coarser malcontent. "They passed by thy goodman, and
put worse men over his head."

"Master Hopkins careth naught for such honors as these have to bestow.
His name was made or ever he came hither," replied Elizabeth a little
coldly as she moved away.

"Glad am I to see that thy goodman leaveth the cord as slack as may be,
Goody Billington," whispered Lois, late maid to Mistress Carver, but now
the promised second wife of Francis Eaton, who stood beside her, and
overhearing the whisper said reprovingly,--

"Nay, wench, thou speakest foolishly. If evil-doers are to go unwhipt of
justice how long shall this colony endure. See you not that if these
roysterers had each killed the other, there had been two men the less to
stand between your silly throats and the hatchets of the salvages?"

"Ay, there's sound sense in that, Francis," replied Lois yielding
admiringly to the superior wisdom of her betrothed, but Helen Billington
nodding and blinking, muttered to her boy John, as she leaned upon his
shoulder,--

"Wait but till dark, when all the wiseacres are asleep, and see if thy
daddy sets not these men free, ay, and puts weapons in their hands like
enough, to revenge themselves withal."

The