y mouth.

'It is the gamekeeper,' cried Madame. '_Two_ gamekeepers--we are
safe--thank Heaven!' and she began to call on Dykes by name.

I only remember, feeling myself at liberty--running a few steps--seeing
Dykes' white furious face--clinging to his arm, with which he was bringing
his gun to a level, and saying, 'Don't fire--they'll murder us if you do.'

Madame, screaming lustily, ran up at the same moment.

'Run on to the gate and lock it--I'll be wi' ye in a minute,' cried he to
the other gamekeeper; who started instantly on this mission, for the three
ruffians were already in full retreat for the carriage.

Giddy--wild--fainting--still terror carried me on.

'Now, Madame Rogers--s'pose you take young Misses on--I must run and len'
Bill a hand.'

'No, no; you moste not,' cried Madame. 'I am fainting myself, and more
villains they may be near to us.'

But at this moment we heard a shot, and, muttering to himself and grasping
his gun, Dykes ran at his utmost speed in the direction of the sound.

With many exhortations to speed, and ejaculations of alarm, Madame hurried
me on toward the house, which at length we reached without further
adventure.

As it happened, my father met us in the hall. He was perfectly transported
with fury on hearing from Madame what had happened, and set out at once,
with some of the servants, in the hope of intercepting the party at the
park-gate.

Here was a new agitation; for my father did not return for nearly three
hours, and I could not conjecture what might be occurring during the period
of his absence. My alarm was greatly increased by the arrival in the
interval of poor Bill, the under-gamekeeper, very much injured.

Seeing that he was determined to intercept their retreat, the three men had
set upon him, wrested his gun, which exploded in the struggle, from him,
and beat him savagely. I mention these particulars, because they convinced
everybody that there was something specially determined and ferocious in
the spirit of the party, and that the fracas was no mere frolic, but the
result of a predetermined plan.

My father had not succeeded in overtaking them. He traced them to the
Lugton Station, where they had taken the railway, and no one could tell him
in what direction the carriage and posthorses had driven.

Madame was, or affected to be, very much shattered by what had occurred.
Her recollection and mine, when my father questioned us closely, differed
very mater