74 The Little Minister

ing him, “you must return and protect me. It
would be cruelty to leave a poor soldier in the
hands of a woman of Thrums.”

“She is not a Thrums woman. You have
been told so a dozen times.”

“ Then I am not afraid.”

In the round-room (which is oblong), there is
a throne on which the bailie sits when he dis-
penses justice. It is swathed in red cloths that
give it the appearance of a pulpit. Left to him-
self, Halliwell flung off his cloak, and taking a
chair near this dais rested his legs on the bare
wooden table, one on each side of the lamp. He
was still in this position when the door opened,
and two policemen thrust the Egyptian into the
room.