"Dinna heed him, Andrew," some one shouted, and another cried, "He canna understand our sufferings; he has dinner ilka day." Struthers faltered, however, and Gavin cast his eye over the armed men. "Rob Dow," he said, "William Carmichael, Thomas Whamond, William Munn, Alexander Hobart, Henders Haggart, step forward." These were Auld Lichts, and when they found that the minister would not take his eyes off them, they obeyed, all save Rob Dow. "Never mind him, Rob," said the atheist, Cruickshanks, "it's better playing cards in hell than singing psalms in heaven." "Joseph Cruickshanks," responded Gavin grimly, "you will find no cards down there." Then Rob also came to the foot of the stair. There was some angry muttering from the crowd, and young Charles Yuill exclaimed, "Curse you, would you lord it ower us on week-days as weel as on Sabbaths?" "Lay down your weapons," Gavin said to the six men. They looked at each other. Hobart slipped his pike behind his back. "I hae no weapon," he said slily. "Let me hae my fling this nicht," Dow entreated, "and I'll promise to bide sober for a twelvemonth." "Oh, Rob, Rob!" the minister said bitterly, "are you the man I prayed with a few hours ago?" The scythe fell from Rob's hands. "Down wi' your pikes," he roared to his companions, "or I'll brain you wi' them." "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 neighboring streets. "If 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. "If 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 hundred?" "Oh, hearken to him," cried many women. "I winna," answered a man, "for I'm ane o' the dozen. Whaur's the Egyptian?" "Here." 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. She was beside him on the stair before he became a minister again. "How dare you, woman?" he cried; but she flung a rowan berry at him. "If I were a man," she exclaimed, addressing the people, "I wouldna let myself be catched like a mouse in a trap." "We winna," some answered.