peechless amazement, when the door again burst
open, and the impetuous Bacon, accompanied by Robert Stevens, entered.

"Why sit you here?" cried the general. "Have you not heard the news?"

"No; what is it?"

"Berkeley hath been reinforced, they say, by troops from England, and is
coming upon the town."

Drummond, Cheeseman and Lawrence were on their feet in a moment, their
faces evincing alarm. No one doubted the truth of the story, and they
began to hurriedly discuss the situation.

"Are we able to defend Jamestown against them?" asked the thoughtful Mr.
Lawrence.

"No," answered Bacon.

"Then we must abandon it."

[Illustration: RUINS OF JAMESTOWN]

"They shall not find the town when they come," cried Bacon. "D--n my
blood! I will burn Jamestown, and not a stone shall be left standing
upon another. Burn it, yes burn it, so that three centuries hence naught
but its ashes and ruins will mark where it stands to-day!"

What Bacon ordered in the heat of passion was indorsed by sober reason,
and it was resolved to burn the town.

"But your own house, Mr. Drummond, will have to be burned," cried
Robert.

"I will fire it with my own hand. It will be the first that burns,"
answered Drummond. Immediately the news spread that the town had been
doomed. The troops were assembled in the streets, and the people
summoned to vacate their houses. There were wailings and shrieks that
night. Robert ran to his home and told his mother, what was to be done.
She came weeping into the street and asked:

"What will become of us, my son? Whither shall we fly? We are three
helpless women without a roof to protect us."

"Until this storm hath blown away, let my ship be your home," said a
deep, sad voice at her side, and, turning about, she beheld Sir Albert
St. Croix, the man who had so strangely impressed her.

"Mother, go, take Ester and sister and go aboard the _Despair_," cried
Robert. Then, turning to the strange old man, he seized his hand and
continued, "Kind sir, you look the soul of honor. Will you care for them
until this hour has passed?"

Sir Albert's breast heaved a moment like the tumultuous storm; then he
answered:

"I will, I swear by the God we all worship!"

Robert hastily gathered up some personal effects and precious family
relics, and carried them aboard the ship with his mother, Ester and
Rebecca. On his return, he saw a bright flame dart up from the corner of
Drummond's house and heard that gentlem