had gone.

"Who calls? Or is it only a rat?" Manasseh had forgotten that his
dungeon contained another prisoner beside himself.

"Yes, it's a rat," answered the voice. "I heard my schoolmaster tell a
story once about a lion that fell into a snare, and a mouse came and
gnawed the ropes so as to set him free. If you will bend down here I'll
untie your knots with my teeth."

Manasseh complied. The gipsy had splendid teeth, and he bit and tugged
at the knots until the prisoner's hands were free, and he felt himself
another man altogether.

"Now pull this stake out from under my knees," directed the fiddler,
whose hands were tied together and passed over his bent knees, where
they were held fast by a stick of wood. His legs being freed, he slipped
the cords from his hands like a pair of gloves. He was no little elated
over his achievements. "And now we will sell our lives dear!" he cried,
with a glad leap into the air.

The rattle of small arms in the distance began to be heard, and through
the little opening over the iron door a ruddy light as from a fire
became visible. At first Manasseh thought some one was coming again with
a torch; but as the iron door did not open, and the red light grew
constantly brighter, he finally guessed the cause of the illumination.
Those who were now assaulting Toroczko must have set fire to St. George
first, to furnish the people of the former place an example of what they
were themselves to expect, and perhaps also to supply a light for the
attacking party. The whole village was in flames. So it appeared that
Diurbanu's words had conveyed no empty threat. The work of revenge had
begun with St. George, and now came Toroczko's turn. That the latter
place was offering a spirited resistance could be inferred from the
lively firing that was to be plainly heard. But how would it be when the
attack in the rear should begin, from the direction of the Szekler
Stone? Could Aaron and his forty men offer any effectual opposition to
the invaders?

Night must have fallen ere this. Manasseh paced his prison cell in
almost unbearable impatience, as he listened to the distant firing, and
watched the red glow over the door growing gradually brighter. A heavy
booming as of cannon was heard from the Szekler Stone. So the attack in
that quarter had begun, and Aaron's battery was at work. Zenobia must be
leading the enemy into the town, for surely no means at Aaron's command
could repulse the assaulting pa