of the sword with his thumb,
to find that this was no regulation blade, but a keen-edged tulwar, set
in an English hilt, and, armed with this, Paul Capel felt himself fully
a match for those who were working away at the window, which did not
yield.

_Creak_--_Crack_--_Crack_!

The catch flew back, and there was a pause, during which Capel drew near
with the blade thrown over his left shoulder, ready for delivering the
first cut at the man who entered.

Then the window glided up, the great curtain was drawn by an arm in his
direction, partly covering him, and a light flashed across the room.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

A BLANK ADVENTURE.

The light played on the blade of the keen-edged sword, as if it were
phosphorescent, but the lambent quivering was not seen by the holder of
the lantern, who hid Capel with his own hand as the light was flashed
upon the bed and into the corners of the room, and then turned off.

"All right, boys," was whispered, and a man swung himself into the room.
"Be quick, and shut the window."

A second man crept softly in, and the third was half in, when he
slipped, threw out his hand to save himself, struck against one of his
companions and drove him back against the curtain and upon Capel.

"Light! Barkers! Some one here."

Capel heard the words, saw the flash, and struck at the hand that held
it.

The blade fell heavily upon the lantern and dashed it to the floor,
where it went out.

Raising the sword he struck again, but as he did so, one of the men
sprang at him, and the blow that fell was upon the fellow's shoulder,
and with the hilt of the sword.

Capel was borne back by the man's fierce spring, his feet became
entangled in the curtain and he fell heavily, with his adversary upon
him.

"Quick, Morris," whispered a voice.

"No, no. Curse you. Shut the window. There's only one. Where's your
matches? Quick, light the glim! Ah, would you? Lie still and bite
that. You just move again and I'll pull the trigger."

The barrel of a revolver had been thrust between Capel's teeth, and as
he lay back with the man on his chest, half stunned, helpless and
despairing, he saw indistinctly the figure against the window, heard the
sash slide down, and the darkness was complete as the curtain was drawn
over the panes. Then there was the faint streak of light as a match was
struck, the bull's-eye lantern was picked up and re-lit, and the bright
rays once more played all about th