hort all discussion.

'That fire was not given by soldiers,' said Serasin. 'Go, Tiernay, and
bring this fellow before me at once.'

I bowed, and was leaving the room, when an officer, having whispered a
few words in Serasin's ear, the general called me back, saying--

'You are not to incur any risk, Tiernay; I want no struggle, still less
a rescue. You understand me?'

'Perfectly, general; the matter will, I trust, be easy enough.'

And so I left the room, my heart--shall I avow it?--bumping and
throbbing in a fashion that gave a very poor corroboration to my words.
There were always three or four horses ready saddled for duty at each
general's quarters, and, taking one of them, I ordered a corporal of
dragoons to follow me, and set out. It was a fine night of autumn; the
last faint sunlight was yet struggling with the coming darkness, as I
rode at a brisk trot down the main street towards the scene of action.

I had not proceeded far when the crowds compelled me to slacken my pace
to a walk, and finding that the people pressed in upon me in such a
way as to prevent anything like a defence if attacked, still more, any
chance of an escape by flight, I sent the corporal forward to clear
a passage, and announce my coming to the redoubted commandant. It was
curious to see how the old dragoon's tactic effected his object,
and with what speed the crowd opened and fell back, as, with a flank
movement of his horse, he 'passaged' up the street, prancing, bounding,
and back-leaping, yet all the while perfectly obedient to the hand,
and never deviating from the straight line in the very middle of the
thoroughfare.

I could catch from the voices around me that the mob had fired a volley
at the church door, but that our men had never returned the fire; and
now a great commotion of the crowd, and that swaying, surging motion of
the mass, which is so peculiarly indicative of a coming event, told that
something more was in preparation. And such was it; for already numbers
were hurrying forward with straw faggots, broken furniture, and other
combustible material, which, in the midst of the wildest cries and
shouts of triumph, were now being heaped up against the door. Another
moment, and I should have been too late; as it was, my loud summons to
'halt,' and a bold command for the mob to fall back, only came at the
very last minute.

'Where's the commandant?' said I, in an imperious tone.

'Who wants him?' responded a deep, hus