The
coming thus on his enemy was only what he had angrily predicted when he
had Peter in his power and had said to him that some day God would punish
him. It had come true.
The men who had arrested Peter and were near enough to hear the brief
sentence, understood it, and being eagerly questioned soon spread among
the moving ranks the story of the crime and this unexampled punishment.
It was plain to Josiah, but what was to follow he did not know, as he
rose, lingered about, and following the Provost's party considered the
wonderful fact of his fulfilled prediction. The coincidence of being
himself present did not cause the surprise which what we call
coincidences awaken in minds which crave explanations of the uncommon.
It was just what was sure to happen somehow, some day, when God settled
Josiah's personal account with a wicked man. He had, however, an urgent
curiosity to see how it would end and a remainder of far-descended
savagery in the wish to let his one enemy know that he was a witness
of his punishment. Thinking thus, Josiah went through the wayside scrub
to see how the guard would dispose of their prisoner.
The man who had sinned was presently tied to a tree facing the road. His
hands were securely tied behind it, and his feet as rudely dealt with.
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