Their sullen aspect, which might have caused another to
avoid them, was his very reason for seeking an encounter. As he
approached, his piercing eye rested a moment on the face of every man,
and as it did so, each eye, impelled by a powerfull magnetism, rose
deferentially to his, and every cap was pulled off.
"What is it, Ezra?" he demanded sharply, seeing that Ezra wanted to
address him.
"If you please, Squire," said Ezra, cap in hand, "Laban's kinder
stupid, an we callate he muster got what ye said tuther eend to. Will
ye kindly tell us what the convenshin did?"
Stopping his horse, Sedgwick replied, in a loud, clear voice.
"The convention declared that the laws shall be enforced, and all
disorderly persons punished with the stocks and with lashes on the
bare back."
"Is that all?" faltered Ezra.
"All!" exclaimed Sedgwick, as his eye rested a moment on every face
before him. "Let every one of you look out that he does not find it
too much."
And now he suddenly broke off in a tone of sharp command, "Disperse
and go to your houses on the pains and penalties of Sabbath breaking.
The sun is down," and he pointed to the last glimmer of the yellow orb
as it sank below the mountains.
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