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Insteadofbeingconductedbyfourmen，ashadhappenedwhentheywentoutofthevillage，thehorsesandcartswerenowaccompaniedbyabodyoffromtwentytothirty，allofwhom，asStockdaleperceivedtohisastonishment，hadblackenedfaces。Amongthemwalkedsixoreighthugefemalefigures，whom，fromtheirwidestrides，Stockdaleguessedtobemenindisguise。AssoonasthepartydiscernedLizzyandhercompanionfourorfivefellback，andwhenthecartshadpassed，cameclosetothepair。
’Thereisnowalkingupthiswayforthepresent，’saidoneofthegauntwomen，whoworecurlsafootlong，danglingdownthesidesofherface，inthefashionofthetime。Stockdalerecognizedthislady’svoiceasOwlett’s。
’Whynot？’saidStockdale。’Thisisthepublichighway。’
’Nowlookhere，youngster，’saidOwlett。’O，’tistheMethodistparson！——what，andMrs。Newberry！Well，you’dbetternotgoupthatway，Lizzy。They’veallrunoff，andfolkshavegottheirownagain。’
Themillerthenhastenedonandjoinedhiscomrades。StockdaleandLizzyalsoturnedback。’Iwishallthishadn’tbeenforceduponus，’shesaidregretfully。’Butifthoseexcisemenhadgotoffwiththetubs，halfthepeopleintheparishwouldhavebeeninwantforthenextmonthortwo。’
Stockdalewasnotpayingmuchattentiontoherwords，andhesaid，’Idon’tthinkIcangobacklikethis。ThosefourpoorexcisemenmaybemurderedforallIknow。’
’Murdered！’saidLizzyimpatiently。’Wedon’tdomurderhere。’
’Well，IshallgoasfarasWarm’ellCrosstosee，’saidStockdaledecisively；and，withoutwishinghersafehomeoranythingelse，theministerturnedback。Lizzystoodlookingathimtillhisformwasabsorbedintheshades；andthen，withsadness，shewentinthedirectionofNether-Moynton。
Theroadwaslonely，andafternightfallatthistimeoftheyeartherewasoftennotapasserforhours。Stockdalepursuedhiswaywithouthearingasoundbeyondthatofhisownfootsteps；andinduetimehepassedbeneaththetreesoftheplantationwhichsurroundedtheWarm’ellCross-road。Beforehehadreachedthepointofintersectionheheardvoicesfromthethicket。
’Hoi-hoi-hoi！Help，help！’
Thevoiceswerenotatallfeebleordespairing，buttheywereunmistakablyanxious。Stockdalehadnoweapon，andbeforeplungingintothepitchydarknessoftheplantationhepulledastakefromthehedge，touseincaseofneed。Whenhegotamongthetreesheshouted——’What’sthematter——whereareyou？’
’Here，’answeredthevoices；and，pushingthroughthebramblesinthatdirection，hecameneartheobjectsofhissearch。
’Whydon’tyoucomeforward？’saidStockdale。
’Webetiedtothetrees！’
’Whoareyou？’
’PoorWillLatimertheexciseman！’saidoneplaintively。’Justcomeandcutthesecords，there’sagoodman。Wewereafraidnobodywouldpassbyto-night。’
Stockdalesoonloosenedthem，uponwhichtheystretchedtheirlimbsandstoodatt
