know that some of you will be killed, and a lot more
of you receive painful wounds. Now disperse, let me beg of you, at
once."

There seemed for a moment a disposition among the mob to give up the
contest, but there were others among them who were infuriated with
drink, and so regardless of all consequences. Those set up a shout of
"Down with the red coats; we are Englishmen, and will do what we like."
Some one then threw a heavy stone, which struck one of the soldiers, and
brought blood from his cheek. The officer saw it, but he said at once,--

"Stand firm, now, stand firm. No anger--steady."

"Twenty pounds for the man who threw that stone," said the
magistrate.--"Twenty pound ten for old Adamson, the magistrate," cried a
voice in the crowd, which, no doubt came from him who had cast the
missile.

Then, at least fifty stones were thrown, some of which hit the
magistrate, and the remainder came rattling upon the helmets of the
dragoons, like a hail shower.

"I warn you, and beg of you to go," said Mr. Adamson; "for the sake of
your wives and families, I beg of you not to pursue this desperate
game."

Loud cries now arose of "Down with the soldiers; down with the vampyre.
He's in Bannerworth Hall. Smoke him out." And then one or two links were
hurled among the dismounted dragoons. All this was put up with
patiently; and then again the mob were implored to leave, which being
answered by fresh taunts, the magistrate proceeded to read the riot act,
not one word of which was audible amid the tumult that prevailed.

"Put out all the lights," cried a voice among the mob. The order was
obeyed, and the same voice added; "they dare not fire on us. Come on:"
and a rush was made at the garden wall.

"Make ready--present," cried the officer. And then he added, in an under
tone, "above their heads, now--fire."

There was a blaze of light for a moment, a stunning noise, a shout of
dismay from the mob, and in another moment all was still.

"There," said Dr. Chillingworth, "that this is, at all events, a
bloodless victory."

"You may depend upon that," said his companion; "but is not there some
one yet remaining? Look there, do you not see a figure clambering over
the fence?"

"Yes, I do, indeed. Ah, they have him a prisoner, at all events. Those
two dragoons have him, fast enough; we shall now, perhaps, hear from
this fellow who is the actual ringleader in such an affair, which, but
for the pusillanimity of the mob, m