THE SMUGGLER. 431 



fusion, and the horsemen who were advancing recoiled, with 

 several of their horses plunging violently." 



The only one on the roof who did not fire was Harding, and 

 he remained with his gun resting on the parapet beside him, 

 gazing, with a stern, dark brow, upon the scene. 



"There are three down," cried one of the men, "and a lot 

 of horses!" 



But Richard Radford was seen gesticulating vehemently; 

 and at length taking off his hat, he waved it in the air, shout- 

 ing so loud that his words reached those above: "I will show 

 you the way, then; let every brave man follow me!" And as 

 he spoke he stuck his spurs into his horse's sides, galloped on, 

 and pushed his beast at the low wall of the churchyard. 



The animal, a powerful hunter, which had been sent to him 

 by his father the day before, rose to the leap as if with pride. 

 But just then Harding raised his gun, aimed steadily, and 

 pulled the trigger. The smoke for a moment obscured Digby's 

 view; but the instant after he saw Richard Radford falling 

 headlong from the saddle, and his shoulder striking the Avail 

 as the horse cleared it. The body then fell over, bent up, 

 with the head leaning against a tombstone and the legs upon 

 an adjoining grave. 



"There! that's done!" said Harding; and laying down 

 the gun again, he betook himself quietly to his seat upon the 

 parapet once more. 



" The dragoons ! the dragoons!" cried a young man from 

 the other side of the tower. But ere he spoke, the gang of 

 villains were already in retreat, several galloping away, and 

 the rest wavering. 



Loading as fast as they could, the stout yeomanry in the 

 church continued firing from the windows and from the roof, 

 accelerating the movements of their assailants, who seemed 

 only to pause for the purpose of carrying off their wounded 

 companions. Sir Edward Digby, however, ran round to the 

 opposite side of the tower, and, clearly seeing the advance of 

 some cavalry from the side of Cranbrook, though the trees 

 prevented him from ascertaining their numbers, he bade the 

 rest follow, and ran down into the body of the church. 



"Now out, and after them!" he exclaimed; "we may 

 make some prisoners!" But as soon as the large wooden 

 doors were thrown back and the peasantry were seen pouring 



