ant the Indian reeled in his saddle, and then,
steadying himself, turned his horse sharp round, and with his companion
galloped off.

Hubert, as his horse passed through the gate and drew up, almost fell
from his seat; and it was with the greatest difficulty that he staggered
towards Maud, who had gone off in a dead faint as she saw him ride on
alone.

Ethel had sat down on the ground, and was crying passionately, and
Terence came running down from the house with a gun in his hand, pouring
out Irish threats and ejaculations after the Indians. These were changed
into a shout of triumph as Charley stepped from behind the hen-house, as
they passed at a short distance, and at the discharge of his double
barrels the unwounded Indian fell heavily from his horse.

Anxious as he was to assist his young mistresses, for Hubert was far too
shaken to attempt to lift Maud from the ground, Terence stood riveted to
the spot watching the remaining Indian. Twice he reeled in the saddle,
and twice recovered himself, but the third time, when he was distant
nearly half a mile, he suddenly fell off to the ground.

'I thought the murdering thief had got it,' muttered Terence to himself,
as he ran down to raise Maud, and with the assistance of Sarah to carry
her up to the house, against the door-way of which Mrs. Hardy was still
leaning, too agitated to trust herself to walk.

Hubert, now somewhat recovered, endeavoured to pacify Ethel, and the two
walked slowly up towards the house. In a minute or two Charley came
running up, and the peons were seen hurrying towards them. After a
silent shake of the hand to his brother, and a short 'Thank God!'
Charley, with his accustomed energy, took the command.

'Hubert, do you and Terence get all the arms loaded at once. Lopez, tell
the peons to hurry up the plough oxen, shut them in the enclosure, and
padlock all the gates. I will warn you if there's any danger. Then bring
all the men and women up here. I am going to run up the danger flag.
Papa is out somewhere on the plains.' So saying, and taking his Colt's
carbine, he ran up the stairs.

In a moment afterwards his voice was heard again. 'Hubert, Terence,
bring all the guns that are loaded up here at once,--quick, quick!' and
then he shouted loudly in Spanish, 'Come in all; come in for your
lives!' In another minute they joined him on the tower with Mr. Hardy's
long rifle, Hubert's carbine, and their double-barrelled shot-guns, into
each of