Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/284

 would only leave her for a few days to watch over her sick child. But she pleaded in vain; her words fell upon unheeding ears. Possibly the men had, by virtue of their office, become inured to such scenes, and their hearts were hardened to them; or it might be that the very imputation of being a witch had shut her off from all human sympathy; but the officials were deaf to her tearful pleading, inexorable in the performance of their cruel duties, and would admit of no delay.

Still, even then, amid all the agitation of that hurried and terrible home-leaving, with true motherly love, the afflicted woman thought only of Alice, and contrived to send a message to her friends at Nurse's Farm to inform them of her own arrest and Alice's illness, and asking them to come, and comfort and care for her darling in her own enforced absence from her home.

And these sisters in affliction answered the appeal at once, and hastened to Alice's bedside—though not, as we have seen, in time to prevent the terrible disclosure which poor terrified Winny had made.