At sight of her daughter a loud cry of rage and astonishment burst from Elizabeth Device, and, rushing forward, she would have seized her, if Tib had not kept her off by a formidable display of teeth and talons.  Jennet made no effort to join her mother, but regarded her with a malicious and triumphant grin.

“This is my chilt,” screamed Elizabeth.  “She canna be baptised without my consent, an ey refuse it.  Ey dunna want her to be a witch—­at least not yet awhile.  What mays yo here, yo little plague?”

“Ey wur brought here, mother,” replied Jennet, with affected simplicity.

“Then get whoam at once, and keep there,” rejoined Elizabeth, furiously.

“Nay, eyst nah go just yet,” replied Jennet.  “Ey’d fain be a witch as weel as yo.”

“Ho! ho! ho!” laughed the voice from below.

“Nah, nah—­ey forbid it,” shrieked Elizabeth, “ye shanna be bapteesed.  Whoy ha ye brought her here, madam?” she added to Mistress Nutter.  “Yo ha’ stolen her fro’ me.  Boh ey protest agen it.”

“Your consent is not required,” replied Mistress Nutter, waving her off.  “Your daughter is anxious to become a witch.  That is enough.”

“She is not owd enough to act for herself,” said Elizabeth.

“Age matters not,” replied Mistress Nutter.

“What mun ey do to become a witch?” asked Jennet.

“You must renounce all hopes of heaven,” replied Mistress Nutter, “and devote yourself to Satan.  You will then be baptised in his name, and become one of his worshippers.  You will have power to afflict all persons with bodily ailments—­to destroy cattle—­blight corn—­burn dwellings—­and, if you be so minded, kill those you hate, or who molest you.  Do you desire to do all this?”

“Eigh, that ey do,” replied Jennet.  “Ey ha’ more pleasure in evil than in good, an wad rayther see folk weep than laugh; an if ey had the power, ey wad so punish them os jeer at me, that they should rue it to their deein’ day.”

“All this you shall do, and more,” rejoined Mistress Nutter.  “You renounce all hopes of salvation, then, and devote yourself, soul and body, to the Powers of Darkness.”

Elizabeth, who was still kept at bay by Tib, shaking her arms, and gnashing her teeth, in impotent rage, now groaned aloud; but ere Jennet could answer, a piercing cry was heard, which thrilled through Mistress Nutter’s bosom, and Alizon, rushing from her place of concealment, passed through the weird circle, and stood beside the group in the midst of it.

“Forbear, Jennet,” she cried; “forbear!  Pronounce not those impious words, or you are lost for ever.  Come with me, and I will save you.”

“Sister Alizon,” cried Jennet, staring at her in surprise, “what makes you here?”

“Do not ask—­but come,” cried Alizon, trying to take her hand.

“Oh! what is this?” cried Mistress Nutter, now partly recovered from the consternation and astonishment into which she had been thrown by Alizon’s unexpected appearance.  “Why are you here?  How have you broken the chains of slumber in which I bound you?  Fly—­fly—­at once, this girl is past your help.  You cannot save her.  She is already devoted.  Fly.  I am powerless to protect you here.”