was saying this her sister was embracing her and kissing
her and crying over her.

"Oh, come, Minnie, come!" she cried; "make haste. We must fly!"

"Where to?" said Minnie, wonderingly.

"Any where--any where out of this awful place: into the woods."

"Why, I don't see the use of going into the woods. It's all wet, you
know. Can't we get a carriage?"

"Oh no, no; we must not wait. They'll all be back soon and kill us."

"Kill us! What for?" cried Minnie. "What do you mean? How silly you
are, Kitty darling!"

At this moment Dacres entered. The image of the immeasurable ass was
still very prominent in his mind, and he had lost all his fever and
delirium. One thought only remained (besides that of the ass, of
course), and that was--escape.

"Are you ready?" he asked, hurriedly.

"Oh yes, yes; let us make haste," said Mrs. Willoughby.

"I think no one is below," said he; "but I will go first. There is a
good place close by. We will run there. If I fall, you must run on and
try to get there. It is the bank just opposite. Once there, you are in
the woods. Do you understand?"

"Oh yes, yes!" cried Mrs. Willoughby. "Haste! Oh, haste!"

Dacres turned, and Mrs. Willoughby had just grasped Minnie's hand to
follow, when suddenly they heard footsteps below.

They stopped, appalled.

The robbers had not all gone, then. Some of them must have remained on
guard. But how many?

Dacres listened and the ladies listened, and in their suspense the
beating of each heart was audible. The footsteps below could be heard
going from room to room, and pausing in each.

"There seems to be only one man," said Dacres, in a whisper. "If there
is only one, I'll engage to manage him. While I grapple, you run for
your lives. Remember the bank."

"Oh yes; but oh, Sir, there may be more," said Mrs. Willoughby.

"I'll see," said Dacres, softly.

He went cautiously to the front window and looked out. By the
increased light he could see quite plainly. No men were visible. From
afar the noise of the strife came to his ears louder than ever, and he
could see the flashes of the rifles.

Dacres stole back again from the window and went to the door. He stood
and listened.

And now the footsteps came across the hall to the foot of the stairs.
Dacres could see the figure of a solitary man, but it was dark in the
hall, and he could not make him out.

He began to think that there was only one enemy to encounter.

The man below put his fo