Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-05

GaI-l anouaU Ol nguI m the room behind her, but she could not see me. What can dos" she asked softly.
 answered by a question. "Is he alive?" mutteIcd.
 "Yes, but hurt she answered, strug- gling with sob, with 1luttering of the woman's heart she had repressed so bravo ly. Much hurt, fear! Oh, why, why did we como hore!"
 She did not mean it as n reprOach, but l took it aS ono and braccd myself moro firmly to meet this Crisis-to saVo her at least if it should he any way possible. When she asked again, Gan l do any thing?" badc her take my pike and stand where was for moment. Since no en- emy had yet made his appearance above the strength of our position seemed to hold out some hope, and it was the moro essential that should understand it and know exactly what our chances were. sprang up the stairs into the room and looked round, my eyes seeming to take in everything at once. It was big bare room, with signs of habitation only in one corner On the side toward the town was n long, low window, through which-a scoro of the diamond panes were broken alrcady-thc flare of the bosicgers' torches fell luridly on the walls and vaulted roof. By tho dull embers of wood fire, over which hung n hugo black pot, Mastcr Bor- | tic was lying on tho boards, breathing | loudly and painfully his head pillowed on | the duchess kcrchief. Beside him sat Mis- tress Annc, her face hidden, tho child vail ing in her lap.
 4 glance round assured mo that thcro was no other staircase, and that on the | sido toward the country tho wall was pierced with no window bigger than a | loophole or an arrow slit, with no opening | which even boy could enter. For the present, therefore, unless the top of the tower should bo cscaladed from the adja- cent houses-and could do nothing to pro vide against that-wc had nothing to fear | except from the staircase and the window | have mentioned. Every moment, how evcr n missile or shot crashed through tho latter, adding the Ghiver of falling | glass to tho general din. No wonder the child walled and tho girl sank over 1t in | abjeCt terror. Those savage yells might ] well make woman blanch. They carried | moro fear and dread to my heart than did | tho real danger of our position, desperate | aS it was.
 And yet it was so desperate that for a moment leaned against the wall dazod | and hopeless, listening to tho internal tu- | mutt without and within Had Bertie l been by my sidc to sharc the responsibility | and join in the risk, could havo borne it | better. l might have felt then some of | tho joy of battle and the stern pleasure oi | tho one matched against tho many. But
 was alone. How was I to savo those | women and that poor child from the yell
 ing crew outside; How indeed? 1 did not | f l,., Ian I | rOmmuniCatr with him, could not explain, | could not even cry for quarter for the | women.
 A stone which glanced from ono of the | mullinns and yrazcd my shoulder reused | me from this fit of Cuwar,licc, which,
 trust and believe, had lasted fur few sec onuS only. At the >:I!aC moment an un- | usual vollCy of missiles tore through the window as if discharg,tl at a given signal.
 Ge wcrC under cover, nnd they did us nc | harm, rolling for tho most part nOiSily
 about the floor. But when the storm ceased and q calm as sudden followed | heard dull, regular sound close to the winduw-a thud! thud! thud!-and or
 the instant divincl the plan and tho dan ger. My courage came back. and with il
 my wits 1 remembered an old talc had
 heard, and dropping my sword where
 stood flew tu the hearth and unhuOkC(
 tho great pot It was heavy, half full 0
 somrthing-hroth most likely, but
 rcrkrd nothing uf that. bore 1t swiftly
 to the window. and just as the forcmos
 man Oh the ladder had driven in the lcat
 work before him with his ax flung tn,
 whole of the Contcnts-thcy were no
 scalding, hut they were very hut-in hi
 face. The fellow shrickcd loudly, an,
 blinded and taken ny surprise lost his holC
 and fell against his supporter. and botl
 tumhiVd du,Nn again more quickly thai 1 they had come up.
 | Stcrnly triumphant. I poised the GrVa
 pot itself in my hands. thinking to llin!
 1t down upon thc >ra If savage upturnr,
 faces, Uf which had a brief view. tk
 torches ilarrl nuw on one, now on an
 other But prudence prevailed. If n