e same instant there sounded a great crashing
of glass. The windows behind his back were broken and a couple of heavy
missiles thundered near him upon the floor--stones they proved to be.
He rushed from the room. All the lights in the house except his own and
that in Mrs. Eldon's room were extinguished. He reached his mother's
door. Before he could open it the yell and the shower of stones were
repeated, again with ruin of windows, this time on the east side of the
Manor. In a moment he was by his mother's bed; he saw her sitting up in
terror; she was speechless and unable even to stretch her arms towards
him. An inner door opened and the woman who was always in attendance
rushed in half dressed. At the same time there were sounds of movement
in other parts of the house. Once more the furious voices and the
stone-volley Hubert put his arms about his mother and tried to calm her.

'Don't be frightened; it's those cowardly roughs. They have had their
three shots, now they'll take to their heels. Mrs. Winter is here,
mother: she will stay with you whilst I go down and see what has to be
done. I'll be back directly if there is no more danger.'

He hastened away. The servants had collected upon the front staircase,
with lamps and candles, in fright and disorder unutterable. Hubert
repeated to them what he had said to his mother, and it seemed to be the
truth, for the silence outside was unbroken.

'I shouldn't wonder,' he cried, 'if they've made an attempt to set the
house on fire. We must go about and examine.'

The door-bell was rung loudly. The servants rushed back up the stairs;
Hubert went into the dining-room, carrying no light, and called through
the shattered windows asking who had rung. It was the vicar; the shouts
had brought him forth.

'They are gone,' he said, in his strong, deep voice, in itself
reassuring. 'I think there were only some ten or a dozen; they've made
off up the hill. Is anybody hurt?'

'No, they have only broken all the windows,' Hubert replied. 'But I am
terribly afraid for the effect upon my mother. We must have the doctor
round at once.'

The vicar was admitted to the house, and a messenger forthwith
despatched for the medical man, who resided halfway between Wanley and
Agworth. On returning to his mother's room Hubert found his fears
only too well justified; Mrs. Eldon lay motionless, her eyes open, but
seemingly without intelligence. At intervals of five minutes a sigh was
audible, e