The magistrate and the police had obtained a position directly under the pulpit, and just as Mr. Jonas opened his book, and after the usual notification read the line:
'God moves in a mysterious way.'
The former jumped upon the dais, and holding a large sealed paper in his hands said:
'Jud Sykes, I arrest you for murder, robbery, and divers other crimes.'
No thunderbolt that ever fell could have created sach a sensation as this.
Not one in the congregation believed the charge. Indeed, amazement had stupefied everyone, and there was no reasoning about the matter. They simply believed in their gifted and saintly preacher.
Roland now stepped forward.
'I know this man;' then turning he looked Mr. Jonas full in the face. That stare was as fatal to the preacher as a musket ball. He said nothing, but folded his hands, which the next moment were bound together affectionately with wristlets of steel. There is no need to chronicle anything further respecting this event. Three months afterwards this pious servant of God was publicly executed at the town of Little York.
Mr. Ham was anxious to proceed at law against Roland for having challenged and wounded him, but the lawyer to whom he applied said:
'By the way, Ham, Gray was wounded, too. They also say that you fired first. Besides, your acceptance makes you equally culpable with the challenger.'