By and by we came to the Tolbooth and the cavalcade halted. There was a loud knocking at the door which, in a moment, was thrown wide open, and two of the dragoons rode in with Mary between them. Then the door was shut in our faces. The crowd hung uncertain for a little space, then it began to disperse slowly till only a handful of curious idlers was left gazing vacantly at the prison. Of them I was one, but though my body was idle my mind was working at fever heat. Mary was in the Tolbooth! That meant, at the very least, that no immediate travesty of justice was to be perpetrated upon her. Perhaps, like the women at Wigtown, she would be given a trial, and it might come to pass that she would be found blameless and set free. As though in answer to this thought the great oaken door swung open again. With eyes almost starting from their sockets, I watched to see her come forth. But no; my hopes that had been soaring in the sky crashed headlong to the earth. The dragoons that had led her in rode forth and the door closed behind them. The company formed up and set out for its quarters and I was left gazing at the door as though a spell were upon me. Suddenly it flashed upon me that to stand there with eyes riveted upon the Tolbooth was to draw attention to myself; so I turned slowly away and walked, as though I were a casual wayfarer, down the High Street again. By the time I had reached the head of the Vennel my mind was set. Mary must be saved. I should rescue her or perish in the attempt. A hive of schemes swarmed in my brain, and my mind was perplexed and divided. Then I thought of Hector. He, if anyone, could aid me: but time was precious and where could I find him? Then I remembered Phemie McBride, and quickening my pace I hurried down the Vennel. Near the Vennel Port a crowd was assembled and when I came to the edge of it I found that my way was blocked by the press of the people. As I stood waiting for a break through which to worm myself, I overheard two boys talking together on its outskirts: "Ay, I’m tellin’ ye, I ha’e juist seen a man shot." "Get awa’!" "Ay." "Tell me aboot it." "They stood him up on the Sands and six sodgers stood afore him and took aim at his breist." "Was he feart?" "De’il a bit!" "Get on." "He never even trem’led. But ane o’ the young sodgers was gey shaky. Then the captain cried ’Fire’ and they a’ shot thegither. The man gied a kin’ o’ jump in the air and fell in a heap." "Deid?" "Ay, deid, but no quite, for ane o’ his legs gied a bit shake, and scraped the grun’. Weel, the captain took a lang pistol oot o’ his belt a’ covered wi’ siller, and bendin’ doon pit it to his heid and fired." "Behin’ his lug?" "Ay, behin’ his lug." "Eh, I wish I had been there!" "Weel, never mind, ye’ll come the morn wi’ me." "Whaur tae?" "Tae the College pool and see them droonin’ the woman." "Are they gaun to droon a woman?" "Ay, they are that." "As shair as daith?"