Those nearest him, seized with panic, fell back and he sank to the ground.
A woman was seen to fling herself on her knees, bend over the body and gaze into the face already becoming ashen.

The next instant she sprang to her feet, her features drawn, her eyes blazing.

Pointing to the assassin who was rushing through the crowd she begged someone to stop him, but the big pistol he was flourishing deterred them.
"Cowards!" she screamed in fury.

"Will no one seize a murderer?
If you're men you'll help me." She made a wild rush in the direction the ruffian had taken and a score or so of apprentices and a handful of Clare Market butchers recovering from their surprise joined her.
Meanwhile Polly and her escort gaily went on their way.

They were dimly conscious of the affray but such occurrences at night and especially in Lincoln's Inn Fields were frequent, and not one of the party heeded.