"Then, I for one propose we give Greyville as good as he meted out!" the man cried, whose name was Tompkins. "I always had a private idea that he was a villain, and now I need no further proof to confirm it. All in favor of hauling him out and lynching him, make manifest by saying 'I.'"
There was a decisive shout among all but about ten of the men, who maintained a grim silence.
"Lynching is a crime, gentlemen," Mr. Thornton said, "in the East, which would render you liable. It can do no harm to give the human monster a taste of the whip, however, and then turn him over to the rigor of the law."
"Perhaps you are right," Tompkins agreed. "Come along, boys! We'll teach the wretch that he must be civilized, if he will live in a civilized country!"
And the sturdy villager led off, the whole crowd following in his rear with indignant faces.
There was indeed a dark look-out for Captain Gregg.
From his library window in the village mansion he was watching the fire, and saw the crowd march in a funeral-like procession down from the bluff along the beach toward the village.
The countess saw, too, and compressed her lips tightly.
"Ze crisis is coming!" she hissed, sharply—so sharply that he started violently. "Ze crowd has heard of ze girl's death, and are coming for you."
He turned deathly pale; they would show him no mercy, as he had shown none to Susie, he well knew.