'Summon the other witnesses,' commanded the self-constituted judge.
Whilst the men knocked at the house door and demanded the presence of Mrs. Tunkiss and the girl Sarah, Beamish raised his voice in protest.
'I say, mates and comrades all, this is strange and unwarranted proceedings. Am not I your leader?'
A shout of, 'You was—but you're a thief—we'll have none of you. I vote for Aaron Chevell. Duck him; he's a turncoat. He's a cheat and robs the poor men.'
'It is false!' shouted Beamish, between rage and disappointment. 'How can I have acted as you say, when I am the man who urged you on,—I, who have the cause at heart more than any of you?'
'Oh yes! that's how Judas talked!' shouted some one in the crowd. Then there came yells of, 'Judas! Judas! Let him hang like Judas!'
The door of the house was not opened to allow the witnesses to issue at the dictate of the mob.
'We must have more witnesses,' said Chevell. 'We don't lay much store on Drownlands. He ain't taken the oath.'
Then Zita appealed to the master of Prickwillow to suffer the maids to come forth. After some hesitation he agreed.
'I'll let 'em out if you'll hang Beamish,' shouted he from the window.
Presently the door of the house was cautiously opened, and Drownlands, who stood at it, thrust forth the two women. Mrs. Tunkiss was white and quaking; Sarah nigh upon a fit.
'Now, then,' demanded the judge, 'up into the waggon wi' you. And, lads, hold up the torches that I may see if they looks honest and truthful. You—Leehanna Tunkiss—did this Cheap Jack girl give ten pounds for us into the hands of Beamish?'
'Oh yes! forty!' exclaimed the woman, who did not understand what was being done, and thought she might be incriminating Zita, or doing her some harm by the admission.
'She don't quite agree about the figure,—she says forty,—but she establishes the fact,' said Chevell, addressing the crowd. 'You swear to it?'
'Oh, I swear!' exclaimed Mrs. Tunkiss. 'Oh, gentlemen, let me down! I shall faint.'
'Pass her down,' ordered Aaron. 'Now you other—Sarah Gathercole—did she give him money? She shakes her head—I mean she nods.'
'She has the Vitus' dance,' protested the accused.
'And you swear to it—the Cheap Jack girl gave ten pounds?'