few hours later, the other four constables for whom Reuben had
sent rode up. An outhouse was now prepared for the reception of the
police, Reuben himself taking up his abode there, although Mrs.
Donald strongly urged him to come into the house; but with Mr. and
Mrs. Barker and the surgeon there, and the time of one of the
ladies taken up with the wounded man, Reuben thought that their
hands were perfectly full, and said that he should prefer to mess
and sleep with his men.

"You see, Mrs. Donald," he said, as she tried to induce him to
alter his determination, "I shall have to be sending out men and
receiving reports, and may be obliged to ride out in the middle of
the night; therefore, you see, as absolute quiet is ordered for
your husband, it will be far better for me to be outside the house;
as the coming and going would be sure to disturb him, and he would
naturally want to know what is going on."

"You will not, I hope, take all your party away in pursuit of these
men, Captain Whitney," she said anxiously. "They might get up some
false alarm, to take you away, and then come down upon the house
again. I have been too much taken up with my husband to think much
about it; but although Kate keeps up bravely, I know that she is
greatly shaken, and terribly anxious. I don't know whether she told
you; but it was to her, chiefly, that horrible man spoke; and it
was she he told, as he rushed out, that he would come back to fetch
her. She will never have a moment's peace, or tranquillity, till we
hear that he is either killed or taken."

"Nor shall I," Reuben said. "I do not think that the scoundrel will
dare to attempt to carry out his threat to come back again; but
with so daring a villain, it would be rash to omit the smallest
precaution. You may be quite sure, Mrs. Donald, that in no case
will I leave the house unprotected; and that if I should be called
away I will leave two men here who, during my absence, will remain
in the house; and with them, Mr. Barker, and the doctor, you may
feel perfectly assured that no open attack will be made.

"But I cannot impress too strongly upon you that, seeing the man
with whom we have to deal, your sister should not stir outside the
house; until we have caught him, or until Mr. Donald is so far
recovered as to be able to be removed. I will not tell her so
myself; because I see that, now the strain is over, she is greatly
shaken, and I would not add to her anxiety; but if you cou