n
now, the long streaks of flame were reaching up to the cornice,
casting all the front portion of the house, and the lawn which lay
before it, into deep shadow. The shrubbery and trees thus outlined
showed black and grim.

The men of the Tallwoods party dashed here and there among the
covering of trees back of the house. There were shots, hastily
exchanged, glimpses of forms slinking away across the fields. But
the attacking party had done their work; and now, alarmed by the
sudden appearance of a resistance stronger than they had expected,
were making their escape. Once in a while there was heard a loud
derisive shout, now and again the crack of a spiteful rifle,
resounding in echoes against the hillsides.

Dunwody was among the first to disappear, in search of these
besiegers. For an instant Josephine was left alone, undecided,
alarmed, in front of the great doors. Eleazar, to save the
plunging team, had now wheeled the vehicle back, and was seeking a
place for it lower down the lawn. It was as she stood thus
hesitant that there approached her from some point in the bushes a
disheveled figure. Turning, she recognized none other than old
Sally, her former jailer and sometime friend.

"Sally," she cried; "Sally! What is it? Who has done this? Where
are they? What is it all about? Can't anything be done?"

But Sally, terrified beyond reason, could exclaim only one word:
"Whah is he? Whah's Mr. Dunwody? Quick!" An instant later, she
too was gone.

At the same moment, Dunwody, weapon in hand, dashed around the
corner of the house and up on the front gallery. Apparently he was
searching for some one whom he did not find. Here he was soon
discovered by the old negro woman, who began an excited harangue,
with wild gesticulations. To Josephine it seemed that Sally
pointed toward the interior of the house, as though she beckoned,
explained. She heard his deep-voiced cry.

By this time the names had taken firm hold upon the entire
structure. Smoke tinged with red lines poured through the great
double doors of the mansion house. Yet even as she met the act
with an exclamation of horror, Josephine saw Dunwody fling away his
weapons, run to the great doors and crash through them, apparently
bent upon reaching some point deep in the interior.

Others saw this, and joined in her cry of terror. The interior of
the hall, thus disclosed by the opening of the doors, seemed but a
mass of flames. An inst