he rope round a rafter.

Then, throwing his gun over his shoulder, and seizing the rope with both
his hands, he leaned his whole weight on it, to see if it would hold.

When he was convinced that the rope would bear his weight, he began to
clamber over from the roof to the sycamore tree, suspended in the air,
on the slender rope.

Those below could not see him as they were under the verandah, nor could
they notice the noise because of their own efforts: the little
disturbance caused by the shaking of a branch and the dropping of a
figure from the tree was drowned by the shaking of doors, and the
discharge of firearms.

Lorand reached the ground without mishap.

The sycamore tree stood at a corner of the castle, about thirty paces
from the besieged door.

Lorand could not see the robbers from this position: the northern side
of the verandah was overgrown with creepers which covered the windows.

He must get nearer to them.

The bushes under Czipra's window offered him a suitable position, being
about ten paces from the door, which was plainly visible from them.

Lorand cocked both triggers, and started alone with one gun against the
whole robber-band.

When he reached the bushes he could see the rascals well.

They were four in number.

Two were trying the effect of the "jimmy" on the heavy iron-bound door,
while a third, the wounded one, though he could no longer stand, still
took part in the siege, notwithstanding his wounds. He put the barrel
of his gun into the breaches made and fired over and over, so as to
prevent the people inside from defending the door.

Sometimes single shots answered him from within, but without hitting
anybody or anything.

The fourth robber, crowbar in hand, was striving to break down the
door-supports. That was Vasgyuro.

On the other side of the courtyard Lorand saw two armed figures keeping
guard over the servants' hall. It was six to one.

And there were still more than that altogether.

The door was very shaky already: the hinges were breaking. Lorand
thought he heard his name called from within.

"Now, all together," thundered the robbers in self-encouragement,
exerting all their united force on the crowbars. "More force! More!"

Lorand calmly raised his gun to his shoulder and fired twice among them
in quick succession.

No cry of pain followed the two shots--merely the thud of two heavy
bodies. They were so thoroughly killed, they had no time to complain.