pon one of the
soldiers, a non-commissioned officer, who was below, assuring them of
the innoxious nature of the proceeding which restored anything like
equanimity.

"Silence!" he cried: "what are you howling about? Do you fancy that
we've nothing better to do than to shoot a parcel of fellows that are
not worth the bullets that would be lodged in their confounded
carcases?"

"But we heard the gun," said a woman.

"Of course you did; it's the powder that makes the noise, not the
bullet. You'll see them all brought out safe wind and limb."

This assurance satisfied the women to a certain extent, and such had
been their fear that they should have had to look upon the spectacle of
death, or of grievous wounds, that they were comparatively quite
satisfied when they saw husbands, fathers, and brothers, only in the
custody of the town officers.

And very sheepish some of the fellows looked, when they were handed down
and handcuffed, and the more especially when they had been routed only
by a few blank cartridges--that sixpenny worth of powder had defeated
them.

They were marched off to the town gaol, guarded by the military, who now
probably fancied that their night's work was over, and that the most
turbulent and troublesome spirits in the town had been secured.

Such, however, was not the case, for no sooner had comparative order
been restored, than common observation pointed to a dull red glare in
the southern sky.

In a few more minutes there came in stragglers from the open country,
shouting "Fire! fire!" with all their might.

CHAPTER L.

THE MOB'S ARRIVAL AT SIR FRANCIS VARNEY'S.--THE ATTEMPT TO GAIN
ADMISSION.

[Illustration]

All eyes were directed towards that southern sky which each moment was
becoming more and more illuminated by the lurid appearance bespeaking a
conflagration, which if it was not extensive, at all events was raging
fiercely.

There came, too upon the wind, which set from that direction, strange
sounds, resembling shouts of triumph, combined occasionally with sharper
cries, indicative of alarm.

With so much system and so quietly had this attack been made upon the
house of Sir Francis Varney--for the consequences of it now exhibited
themselves most unequivocally--that no one who had not actually
accompanied the expedition was in the least aware that it had been at
all undertaken, or that anything of the kind was on the tapis.

Now, however, it could be no longer kept