A BRAVE RESISTANCE. 163 



country-house. He was a bachelor ; and whether 

 trusting to his supposed popularity, or imagining that 

 the general alarm among the gentry was groundless, 

 he continued in his lonely mansion long after his neigh- 

 bours had deserted theirs for a safer residence in town. 

 He had been indisposed for several days ; and on the 

 night he was attacked had taken supper in his bedroom, 

 which was on the ground-floor, and inside a parlour 

 with which it communicated. The servants went to 

 bed ; the house was shut up for the night ; and the 

 supper-tray, with its appurtenances, by a providential 

 oversight, forgotten in the old man's chamber. 



" Some hours after he had retired to bed, he was 

 alarmed at hearing a window lifted in the outer apart- 

 ment ; his chamber door was ajar, and the moon shone 

 brilliantly through the open casement, rendering objects 

 in the parlour distinct and perceptible to any person 

 in the inner room. Presently a man leaped through 

 the window, and three others followed him in quick 

 succession. The old gentleman sprang from his bed, 

 but unfortunately there were no arms in the apartment. 

 Recollecting, however, the forgotten supper-tray, he 

 provided himself with a case-knife, and resolutely took 

 his stand behind the open door. He had one advantage 

 over the murderers they were in full moonlight, and 

 he shrouded in impenetrable darkness. 



" A momentary hesitation took place among the party, 

 who seemed undecided as to which of them should first 

 enter the dark room ; for, acquainted with the localities 

 of the house, they knew well that there the devoted 

 victim slept. At last one of the villains cautiously 

 approached, stood for a moment in the doorway, 

 hesitated, advanced a step not a whisper was heard, 



