She broke madly away from her keepers, running back along the road towards Emma's house.

They essayed to follow; then with a laugh and a shrug let her go, calling to her to run quick and see if the prophet had fetched down angels to protect him.
Susannah ran a long way, then, breathless and exhausted, found that she had missed a turning and gone much too far.

Afraid lest she should lose herself by mistaking even the main direction in which she wanted to go, and that while out of reach of any respectable house she might again be assailed by members of the mob, she came back, walking with more caution.

She had no hope now of being the means of bringing help.

She had come farther from the village instead of nearing it, and what few neighbours there were, having failed to interfere, were evidently inimical.
When she found the right turning she again heard the shouts of some assaulting party, and, creeping within the shadow of trees, she waited.
At length they passed her, straggling along the road, shouting and singing, carrying with them some garments which, in rough horse-play, they were tearing into fragments.