A Warlike Chapter 57

“ Ay, lay them down,” the precentor whispered,
“but keep your feet on them.”

Then the minister, who was shaking with
excitement, though he did not know it, stretched
forth his arms for silence, and it came so
suddenly as to frighten the people in the
neighbouring streets.

“Tf he prays we're done for,” cried young
Charles Yuill, but even in that hour many of the
people were unbonneted.

“Oh, Thou who art the Lord of Hosts,”
Gavin prayed, “we are in Thy hands this night.
These are Thy people, and they have sinned;
but Thou art a merciful God, and they were sore
tried, and knew not what they did. To Thee,
our God, we turn for deliverance, for without
Thee we are lost.”

The little minister’s prayer was heard all round
the square, and many weapons were dropped as
an Amen to it.

“Tf you fight,” cried Gavin, brightening as he
heard the clatter of the iron on the stones, “ your
wives and children may be shot in the streets.
These soldiers have come for a dozen of you ;
will you be benefited if they take away a hun-
dred’

“Oh, hearken to him,” cried many women.

“ [ winna,’ answered a man, “for I’m ane o’
the dozen. Whaur’s the Egyptian?”

SS ELete:.

Gavin saw the crowd open, and the woman of
Windyghoul come out of it, and, while he should
have denounced her, he only blinked, for once
more her loveliness struck him full in the eyes.