edy,
which could only horrify without encouraging the hearers. Their method
of receiving it was as divergent as their characters. Marian, though
she slightly changed colour, remained perfectly cool and collected.
Violet, on the other hand, turned white as a sheet, and fairly shook
with terror. It was all they could do to keep her from going into wild
hysterics.

"This sort of thing won't do at all, Miss Avory," said Renshaw, entering
at that moment; his sable recruit hanging back in the doorway. "Why,
all you've got to do is to lie down and go to sleep in perfect safety.
If we exchange a shot or two that's all it will amount to. Come, now, I
should have thought you would have enjoyed the excitement of a real
adventure."

Violet tried to smile, but it was the mere ghost of a smile. She still
shivered and shook. And Renshaw himself seemed changed. None of the
diffident lover about him now. He seemed in his element at the prospect
of peril. In the midst of her fears Violet remembered Marian's eulogies
on his coolness and resource in an emergency. The recollection quieted
her, and she looked upon him with unbounded respect. Then she noted
Marian's calm and resolute demeanour, and even fancied that the look of
the latter was expressive of something like contempt--wherein she was
mistaken, but the idea acted as a tonic to brace her nerves.

Having seen to the firearms and ammunition, and cautioned the women to
remain where they were and allow no more light to be seen than they
could help, Renshaw went the round of the house. Effie and the two
little ones were sleeping soundly, so also were the two boys. Opening
the door, he looked cautiously out. All was still.

He had decided that the four corner rooms should be the points of
defence, and the windows accordingly were not barricaded. The others
were rendered secure by fixing against each a couple of mattresses.
Then he went back to the ladies.

The house was now all in darkness, but the moonlight streaming in above
the protecting mattresses gave sufficient light for all purposes.

"Now, good people," he said cheerily, "you may all go to bed. I'll call
you when I want you. I'm going to watch at one corner, and Gomfana will
take the other. There'll be no catching us napping. Besides, the dogs
will raise the most awful shillaloo if any one heaves in sight."

Shakedowns had been improvised on the floor with rugs and pillows. In
great measure reassured