the stillness on
the outside, there was a jingle of glass, and the pipe which Captain
Shirril had held in his mouth while talking was shattered as if from the
explosion of a torpedo within the bowl.

Nothing could have shown the wonderful training of this little family in
the perils of the frontier more strikingly than did their actions at
this moment. Not a word was spoken, but almost at the instant the
alarming occurrence took place, the captain, his wife, and his nephew
leaped backward with lightning-like quickness. The movement took the
three out of range of the two windows at the front of the house, with
the door midway between, those being the only openings on the lower
floor.

Dinah happened to be at the extreme rear, where she was safe for the
time. She was about to advance, when checked by the crash of the window
pane and the crack of the rifle.

"For de Lawd's sake," she exclaimed, "de warmints hab come!"

"So they have," replied the captain, rising upright from his crouching
posture, "and see what they have done!"

He held up the stem of his pipe, which he had kept between his teeth
during the exciting moments, with such a grim expression of woe that,
despite the frightful incident, his wife and even Avon smiled.

"It is a pity indeed," she said, "you will have to use your new one, and
I know how much _that_ will pain you."

"They shall pay for this," he added with a shake of his head.

Fortunately the rifles of himself and nephew were leaning in the corner,
where they could be readily seized without exposing themselves to
another treacherous shot. The men laid hands on them at once.

The weapons were of the repeating kind, and among the best that money
could buy in San Antonio.

The two guns belonging to Mrs. Shirril and their servant rested together
on the deer's prongs over the mantel, and, to reach them, one must
expose himself to another shot from the outside.

Following the rifle report, the sound of horses' hoofs were heard
galloping rapidly around the cabin. The captain listened intently for a
moment, holding one hand aloft as a signal for the others to keep
silent.

"There's fully a dozen of them," he said a minute later in a low voice.

"But they know you and Avon are here," added his wife, who was standing
motionless just behind him, without any evidence of excitement except
that her face was a shade paler than usual.

"I should think so, judging from that," he replied, spitting t