against the
other side.

"Yes," said she in a low voice, "they are there, but they can do no
harm, as long as they confine themselves to that."

"S'pose dey butt dar heads agin it?"

"It will be worse for their heads than for the door, but I think your
people are the only ones who work that way."

"Dat's 'cause we hab de hardest kind ob heads," was the truthful
response; "but mebbe dey's usin' somethin' else to break in de door."

"It can do no injury if they do," replied Mrs. Shirril, who could not
shake off a feeling of uneasiness because of the discovery.

While it was apparent that the door could not be forced by any
conceivable means at the command of the Comanches, there was a doubt as
to their precise intentions that troubled the good woman. She had the
proof that their relentless enemies were busy, and their well-known
cunning was likely to suggest ways of reaching their end, which, for a
time at least, must remain unsuspected by the defenders of the cabin.

CHAPTER XII.

ON THE ROOF.

Captain Dohm Shirril was never more in earnest than when he declared
that the Comanches meant to renew their attempt to fire his cabin.

Having come so near success, they would resort to the same means, taking
care to provide against a second ignominious defeat at the hands of the
defenders.

The darkness, on the whole, was far more helpful to the latter than to
their assailants, for, if care was used, it was beyond the power of the
Indians to discover the presence of any person on the roof. The
Comanches, from the force of circumstances, would have to move back some
rods from the building, to see the cover, and that distance was
sufficient to shut out all sight of a figure, so long as it remained
prone. If a man rose to his feet, as Dinah had done, his outlines would
show, and he would become an instant target for the redskins.

It was with a full conviction of these important facts that the Texan,
imitating the action of his servant, unfastened the scuttle, and
noiselessly let it fall back behind him. Then he thrust his head and
shoulders through and scanned the half of the roof in his field of
vision.

Nothing to cause alarm was discerned, and rising still higher, he peered
over the peak to the other side.

The air had the odor of burning wood, and the cavity burned in the roof
showed signs of life, but they were so slight as to be harmless. They
would soon die out, despite the strong wind still blowi