THE colonel's STORY. 1 53 



kitchen,' he said, hastily ; * it is our weakest point ; 

 this way. Captain,'— and we both entered it together. 



" There was a bright fire burning on the hearth. 

 The large window was shattered to pieces, and the idiot 

 I had noticed on the lawn was standing beside the 

 ruined casement, armed with a spit, making momentary 

 passes at the breach, and swearing and bellowing fright- 

 fully. I leaped upon a table to seize two muskets 

 which were suspended in the place Miss Morden had 

 described. I handed one to Henry, when the fire 

 blazed out suddenly, and discovered me to the banditti 

 without. Instantly, three or four shots were discharged. 

 I heard a bullet whistle past my head, and felt something 

 strike my shoulder like a sharp cut from a whip, as a 

 slug grazed me slightly — but having secured the gun 

 I jumped from the table uninjured. We heard Mr. 

 Morden in the passage — his manner was calm and 

 collected, as he ordered the servant men to the front of 

 the house, and dispatched his daughter for ammunition. 



" Meanwhile, a dropping fire continued from with- 

 out — for from within no shot had been returned, as the 

 robbers sheltered themselves effectually behind the 

 angles of the offices and the piers of the gates. From 

 some hurried words we overheard they were arranging 

 a determined attack. 



They will make a rush immediately,' said the 

 elder Morden, coolly, ' and here comes Emily in good 

 time ; don't come in, love ! ' — and he took some forty 

 or fifty cartridges which she had brought in the skirt 

 of her dressing-gown. Notwithstanding the peril of 

 our situation I could but not gaze a moment on the white 

 and statue-looking limbs of this brave and beautiful 

 girl. * Go, love, tell John to bring the Captain's gun- 



