ifted and carried into the
mill, and Mr. Cartwright sent at once for the nearest surgeon, who was
speedily upon the spot. Long before he arrived the hussars had ridden
up, and had been dispatched over the country in search of the rioters,
of whom, save the dead and wounded, no signs were visible.

As day dawned the destruction which had been wrought was clearly
visible. The doors were in splinters, the lower window frames were all
smashed in, scarce a pane of glass remained in its place throughout the
whole building, the stonework was dotted and splashed with bullet marks,
the angles of the windows were chipped and broken, there were dark
patches of blood in many places in the courtyard, and the yard itself
and the roads leading from the mill were strewn with guns, picks,
levers, hammers, and pikes, which had been thrown away by the
discomfited rioters in their retreat.

"They have had a lesson for once," Mr. Cartwright said as he looked
round, "they won't attack my mill again in a hurry. I need not say,
Sankey, how deeply I am obliged to you for your timely warning. How did
you get to know of it?"

Ned related the story of his being awakened by Mary Powlett. He added,
"I don't think, after all, my warning was of much use to you. You could
have kept them out anyhow."

"I don't think so," Mr. Cartwright said. "I imagine that your arrival
upset all their plans; they were so close behind you that they must have
heard the knocking and the door open and close. The appearance of lights
in the mill and the barking of the dog, would, at any rate, have told
them that we were on the alert, and seeing that they ran on and opened
fire I have no doubt that their plan was to have stolen quietly up to
the windows and commenced an attack upon these in several places, and
had they done this they would probably have forced an entrance before
we could have got together to resist them. No, my lad, you and that girl
have saved the mill between you."

"You will not mention, Mr. Cartwright, to any one how I learned the
news. The girl's life would not be safe were it known that she brought
me word of the intention of the Luddites."

"You may rely on me for that; and now, if you please, we will go off
home at once and get some breakfast. Amy may have heard of the attack
and will be in a rare fright until she gets news of me."

Mr. Cartwright's house was about a mile from the mill. When they arrived
there it was still closed and quiet, a