ere
unheard or unheeded. Roger's back appeared to be against the door, and
I put my ear to it and listened.

They were mostly women's voices, and their angry tone convinced me that
they had been protesting in vain.

"Don't be a fool, Roger! I tell you t' stack 'll fall in another
minute, an' where 'll you all be then? Oppen t' door, an' let's bring
your Martha an' Lucy out, or ye'll all be killed!"

"Ye shan't disturb 'er," said the maudlin voice on the other side the
door; "doct'r said mus'n' disturb 'er ... keep 'er quiet ... won't let
anyb'dy disturb 'er."

"Can't you understand, you gawmless fool," shouted another woman, "'at
t' chimley's rockin' an' swayin', an' is bound to come down on t' top
on us all while we're standin' 'ere? Oppen t' door, you drunken
beggar, an' let your missis an' child come out!"

"I'll shoot anyb'dy 'at disturbs 'er," stuttered Roger; "hang me if I
don't. Doct'r said mus'n be disturbed ... won't have 'er disturbed.
Clear, all of ye!"

There was a sound of sudden movement, and I gathered that Roger had
raised his weapon. Sick at heart I groped my way upstairs again and
discussed the situation with Martha.

She was alarmed in good earnest now, as much for my sake as for Lucy's,
and we went down and battered the door in vain. We could hear voices
faintly, but the crowd was evidently in the road, and Roger was still
guarding the door.

We returned to the bedroom, and Martha flung herself upon her knees and
broke into fervent prayer to God.

What happened afterwards has been told me since. Afraid of the
tottering chimney-stack, and cowed by Roger's revolver, the group of
women and boys had fallen back into the road, when Barjona appeared
upon the scene with his cart.

With one accord the women rushed up to him and explained the peril of
Roger and his family, and the drunken man's insane refusal of help and
warning.

A glance above showed Barjona that their fears were only too well
founded, and--let me say it to his credit--he did not hesitate for a
moment. "Can only die once," he muttered, and without another word he
seized his whip and strode towards the house. As he entered the door
Roger covered him with his weapon and defied him to advance, but with a
hoarse growl the sturdy old man flung himself forward, lashed his whip
around the legs of the drunken man, and as the revolver discharged
itself harmlessly into the air, he seized his opponent round the waist,
and wit