CHAPTER XIX. A SUMMER NIGHT.

hecontinued,"Ihavebroughtthebraceofpistolsfrommyuncle'sstudy.Youmayexaminethematyourleisure." Sheplacedthemonthetablebeforeherfriend. "Whywouldyourathersituplonger?"askedMissKeeldar,takingupthefirearms,examiningthem,andagainlayingthemdown. "BecauseIhaveastrange,excitedfeelinginmyheart." "SohaveI." "Isthisstateofsleeplessnessandrestlessnesscausedbysomethingelectricalintheair,Iwonder?" "Notheskyisclear,thestarsnumberless.Itisafinenight." "Butverystill.IhearthewaterfretoveritsstonybedinHollow'sCopseasdistinctlyasifitranbelowthechurchyardwall." "Iamgladitissostillanight.Amoaningwindorrushingrainwouldvexmetofeverjustnow." "Why,Shirley?" "Becauseitwouldbafflemyeffortstolisten." "DoyoulistentowardstheHollow?" "Yesitistheonlyquarterwhencewecanhearasoundjustnow." "Theonlyone,Shirley." Theybothsatnearthewindow,andbothleanedtheirarmsonthesill,andbothinclinedtheirheadstowardstheopenlattice.Theysaweachother'syoungfacesbythestarlightandthatdimJunetwilightwhichdoesnotwhollyfadefromthewesttilldawnbeginstobreakintheeast. "Mr.Helstonethinkswehavenoideawhichwayheisgone,"murmuredMissKeeldar,"noronwhaterrand,norwithwhatexpectations,norhowprepared.ButIguessmuchdonotyou?" "Iguesssomething." "Allthosegentlemen—yourcousinMooreincluded—thinkthatyouandIarenowasleepinourbeds,unconscious." "Caringnothingaboutthem—hopingandfearingnothingforthem,"addedCaroline. Bothkeptsilentforfullhalfanhour.Thenightwassilenttooonlythechurchclockmeasureditscoursebyquarters.Somewordswereinterchangedaboutthechilloftheair.Theywrappedtheirscarvescloserroundthem,resumedtheirbonnets,whichtheyhadremoved,andagainwatched. Towardsmidnighttheteasing,monotonousbarkofthehouse-dogdisturbedthequietudeoftheirvigil.Carolinerose,andmadeherwaynoiselesslythroughthedarkpassagestothekitchen,intendingtoappeasehimwithapieceofbread.Shesucceeded.Onreturningtothedining-roomshefounditalldark,MissKeeldarhavingextinguishedthecandle.Theoutlineofhershapewasvisiblenearthestillopenwindow,leaningout.MissHelstoneaskednoquestionsshestoletoherside.Thedogrecommencedbarkingfuriously.Suddenlyhestopped,andseemedtolisten.Theoccupantsofthedining-roomlistenedtoo,andnotmerelynowtotheflowofthemill-stream.Therewasanearer,thoughamuffled,soundontheroadbelowthechurchyard—ameasured,beating,approachingsound—adulltrampofmarchingfeet. Itdrewnear.Thosewholistenedbydegreescomprehendeditsextent.Itwasnotthetreadoftwo,norofadozen,norofascoreofmenitwasthetreadofhundreds.Theycouldseenothingthehighshrubsofthegardenformedaleafyscreenbetweenthemandtheroad.Tohear,however,wasnotenough,andthistheyfeltasthetrooptrodforwards,andseemedactuallypassingtherectory.Theyfeltitmorewhenahumanvoice—thoughthatvoicespokebutoneword—brokethehushofthenight. "Halt!" Ahaltfollowed.Themarchwasarrested.Thencamealowconference,ofwhichnowordwasdistinguishablefromthedining-room. "Wemusthearthis,"saidShirley. Sheturned,tookherpistolsfromthetable,silentlypassedoutthroughthemiddlewindowofthedining-room,whichwas,infact,aglassdoor,stoledownthewalktothegardenwall,andstoodlisteningunderthelilacs.Carolinewouldnothavequittedthehousehadshebeenalone,butwhereShirleywentshewouldgo.Sheglancedattheweapononthesideboard,butleftitbehindher,andpresentlystoodatherfriend'sside.Theydarednotlookoverthewall,forfearofbeingseentheywereobligedtocrouchbehindit.Theyheardthesewords,— "Itlooksaramblingoldbuilding.Wholivesinitbesidesthedamnedparson?" "Onlythreewomen—hisnieceandtwoservants." "Doyouknowwheretheysleep?" "Thelassesbehindthenieceinafrontroom." "AndHelstone?" "Yonderishischamber.Hewasburningalight,butIseenonenow." "Wherewouldyougetin?" "IfIwereorderedtodohisjob—andhedesarvesit—I'dtryyond'longwindowitopenstothedining-room.Icouldgropemywayupstairs,andIknowhischamber." "Howwouldyoumanageaboutthewomenfolk?" "Let'emaloneexcepttheyshrieked,andthenI'dsoonquieten'em.Icouldwishtofindtheoldchapasleep.Ifhewaked,he'dbedangerous." "Hashearms?" "Firearms,allus—andallusloadened." "Thenyou'reafooltostopushere.Ashotwouldgivethealarm.Moorewouldbeonusbeforewecouldturnround.Weshouldmissourmainobject." "Youmightgoon,Itellyou.I'dengageHelstonealone." Apause.Oneofthepartydroppedsomeweapon,whichrangonthestonecauseway.Atthissoundtherectorydogbarkedagainfuriously—fiercely. "Thatspoilsall!"saidthevoice."He'llawake.Anoiselikethatmightrousethedead.Youdidnotsaytherewasadog.Damnyou!Forward!" Forwardtheywent—tramp,tramp—withmustering,manifold,slow-filingtread.Theyweregone. Shirleystooderect,lookedoverthewall,alongtheroad. "Notasoulremains,"shesaid. Shestoodandmused."ThankGod!"wasthenextobservation. Carolinerepeatedtheejaculation—notinsosteadyatone.Shewastremblingmuch.Herheartwasbeatingfastandthickherfacewascold,herforeheaddamp. "ThankGodforus!"shereiterated."Butwhatwillhappenelsewhere?Theyhavepassedusbythattheymaymakesureofothers." "Theyhavedonewell,"returnedShirley,withcomposure."Theotherswilldefendthemselves.Theycandoit.Theyarepreparedforthem.Withusitisotherwise.Myfingerwasonthetriggerofthispistol.Iwasquitereadytogivethatman,ifhehadentered,suchagreetingashelittlecalculatedonbutbehindhimfollowedthreehundred.Ihadneitherthreehundredhandsnorthreehundredweapons.Icouldnothaveeffectuallyprotectedeitheryou,myself,orthetwopoorwomenasleepunderthatroof.ThereforeIagainearnestlythankGodforinsultandperilescaped." Afterasecondpauseshecontinued:"Whatisitmydutyandwisdomtodonext?Nottostayhereinactive,Iamgladtosay,but,ofcourse,towalkovertotheHollow." "T