ocked the front door and entered the house.

Silently and stealthily they passed through the middle hall, up the
broad staircase, and through the long, narrow passages and steep stairs
that led to Capitola's remote chamber.

There at the door they paused awhile to listen.

All was still within.

Herbert Greyson unlocked the door, withdrew the key, and opened it and
entered the room, followed by all the men. He had scarcely time to close
the door and lock it on the inside, and withdraw the key, before the
robbers, finding themselves surprised, burst out from their hiding place
and made a rush for the passage; but their means of escape had been
already cut off by the forethought of Herbert Greyson.

A sharp conflict ensued.

Upon first being summoned to surrender the robbers responded by a
hail-storm of bullets from their revolvers, followed instantly by a
charge of bowie knives. This was met by an avalanche of blows from
pick-axes, pokers, pitchforks, sledge-hammers, spades and rakes, beneath
which the miscreants were quickly beaten down and overwhelmed.

They were then set upon and bound with strong ropes brought for the
purpose by Mr. Ezy.

When they were thus secured, hand and foot, Capitola, who had been a
spectator of the whole scene, and exposed as much as any other to the
rattle of the bullets, now approached and looked at the vanquished.

Black Donald certainly was not one of the party, who were no other than
our old acquaintances--Hal, Steve and Dick--of the band!

Each burglar was conveyed to a separate apartment and a strong guard set
over him.

Then Herbert Greyson, who had received a flesh wound in his left arm,
returned to the scene of the conflict to look after the wounded. Several
of the negroes had received gun-shot wounds of more or less importance.
These were speedily attended to. Mrs. Condiment, who had slept securely
through all the fight, was now awakened by Capitola, and cautiously
informed of what had taken place and assured that all danger was now
over.

The worthy woman, as soon as she recovered from the consternation into
which the news had plunged her, at once set about succoring the wounded.
Cots and mattresses were made up in one of the empty rooms and bandages
and balsams prepared.

And not until all who had been hurt were made comfortable, did Herbert
Greyson throw himself upon horseback, and ride off to the county seat to
summon the authorities, and to inform Major Warfiel