ter surveying the scene for a minute rode back to the company. A
movement was at once visible.

"He is extending them on each side," Hector said. "That is good. He is
going to inclose the peasants, and as from the slope in the ground they
cannot see the troops until they are within a hundred yards, he will
catch them in a trap."

The company moved round, in fact, until they had formed almost a
semicircle, then they advanced, closing in as they neared the house.
When they reached the spot where they could be seen by the peasants a
trumpet sounded and they ran in. The peasants, bewildered at seeing the
line of soldiers closing in around them, hesitated. Some were already
too drunk to rise from the ground on which they had thrown themselves,
the others caught up their arms and ran together. Retreat was
impossible, for behind them was the burning house. Suddenly a stream of
fire burst from the semicircle of troops. Some thirty of the insurgents
fell, the others threw down their arms and fell upon their knees crying
for mercy. The troops were rushing forward to finish their work, when
Hector shouted "Halt!"

"De Mieville," he said, as the officer rode up towards the tower, "do
not shed more blood. Thirty at least have fallen in their attack on this
turret, besides those who have been killed by your fire. Take the rest,
disarm them all, let the men cut some stout switches and give every man
twenty blows well laid on the back, and then let them go. Before you do
so, send a dozen of them to clear the staircase and to draw some buckets
of water from the well and sluice the steps down. Paolo, do you run down
and find a vessel of some sort and a goblet or horn, and bring up some
wine from one of those barrels. The ladies sorely need something after
what they have gone through, and I myself shall be all the better for
it, for the loss of blood has given me a raging thirst."

Paolo had no difficulty in carrying out the order. The rioters had
brought out several pails for holding the wine, a score of silver cups
and other vessels lay where they had been dropped when the soldiers
appeared, and the officer had placed two men on guard over them. Paolo
thoughtfully brought up a pail of water as well as of wine. The ladies
drank a little wine and water, while Hector took a long draught, and
made the two retainers who had fought so stoutly, and his own men, do
the same. In half an hour the staircase was cleared and washed down,
and the