ister, and was in the act of stepping outside, when the
sharp report of a rifle broke the stillness, and he felt the whiz of the
bullet, which grazed his face and buried itself in the wall behind him.

The lad was quick-witted enough to know on the instant what it meant;
and, leaping back, he hastily closed the door, drew in the latch-string,
and, leaning his rifle against the side of the room, slipped the bar in
place.

He had hardly done so when there was a shock, as if some heavy body were
flung violently against it. Such was the fact, a Sioux warrior having
turned himself sideways at the moment of leaping, so that his shoulder
struck it with a force sufficient to carry a door off its hinges.

"What's the matter?" asked the frightened Dot; "why do you fasten the
door, Mel?"

"The bad Indians have come; they are trying to get into the house so as
to hurt us."

"And do they want Susie?" she asked Melville, hugging her doll very
closely to her breast.

"Yes, but we won't let them have her. Keep away from the window!" he
added, catching her arm, and drawing her back from the dangerous
position into which her curiosity was leading her. "Sit down there," he
said, pointing to one of the chairs which was beyond reach of any bullet
that could be fired through a window; "don't stir unless I tell you to,
or the bad Indians will take you and dolly, and you will never see
father or mother or me again."

This was terrible enough to scare the little one into the most implicit
obedience of her brother. She meekly took her seat, with Susie still
clasped in her arms, willing to do anything to save the precious one
from danger, and content to leave everything to her brother.

The youth had not time to explain matters more fully to his sister, nor
would it have been wise to do so; she had been told enough already to
distress and render her obedient to his wishes.

Following the startling shock against the door came a voice from the
outside. The words were in broken English, and were uttered by the Sioux
warrior that had made the vain effort to drive the structure inward.

"Open door--open door, brudder."

"I will not open the door," called back Melville.

"Open door--Injin won't hurt pale-face--come in--eat wid him."

"You cannot come in; we want no visitors. Go away, or I will shoot you!"

This was a brave threat, but it did not do all that the lad hoped.
Whether the assailants knew how weak the force was within the hou