redoubled, and a man fell heavily back from his loophole
with a bullet through his brain.

"Enough! Damn them, no!" said the overseer. "When they've had our lives
they will have had enough--not before! They're paying dearly for their
fun though."

Landless went back to the great room with empty hands.

"They are all in like case," he said, in answer to Sir Charles's lifted
eyebrows.

The other shrugged his shoulders. "What will be, will be. If we could
have saved our fire--but we had to keep them from the door! Get to your
post, and we will hold them back as long as may be. Then a short passage
to eternal nothingness!"

"A short passage!" muttered the Muggletonian at Landless's ear. "Well
for those who find that at the hands of the uncircumcised heathen.
Eternal nothingness! The fool hath said in his heart There is no
God--and he is being dashed headlong upon the judgment bar of the God
who saith, I will repay. Cursed be the Atheist! May he find the passage,
fiery though it be, as nothing to the flames of the avenging God; may
he go to his appointed place where the worm dieth not and the fire is
not quenched; may--"

The trunk of a tree was dashed against the door with a force that shook
the room. "Dey're comin'!" shouted Regulus, who stood behind Sir
Charles, and raised the axe with which he was armed above his head.
Another crash and the wood splintered. Through the ragged opening was
thrust a red hand--the axe, wielded by Regulus's powerful arms, flashed
downwards, and the hand, severed at the wrist, fell with a dull thud
upon the floor. A yell from without, and another blow, widening the
opening. Landless fired his last bullet into the crowd, and clubbing his
musket sprang to the door, in front of which were now massed all the
defenders of that side of the house. Sir Charles threw down his useless
musket and drew his sword. "Cousin," he said over his shoulder to
Patricia, standing white and erect in the midst of the cowering women,
"you had best betake yourselves to the hall, and that quickly. This will
be no ladies' bower presently."

"Come," said Patricia to the women, and led the way towards the door
leading into the hall. As she passed Sir Charles she put out her hand,
and he caught it, sunk to his knee, and pressed his lips upon it.

"I am going to my father," she said steadily, "and I shall pray him as
he loves me to pass his sword through my heart when they break into the
hall. So it is farewell, co