ommunicated itself
to the party drawn up to repel a sortie. Hearing the yells, screams,
and shouts, accompanied by the musketry approaching from three different
quarters of the town, while a steady fire from the castle indicated
that the defenders there might, at any moment, sally out upon them,
they stood for a time irresolute; but as the heads of the three columns
approached they lost heart, quitted their station, and withdrew in
a body by a street by which they avoided the approaching columns. On
arriving at the spot Malcolm found the guns deserted.

"The town is won now," he said. "I will take my post here with my men in
case the Austrians should rally; do you with the rest scatter over the
town and complete the work, but bid them keep together in parties of
twenty."

The force broke up and scattered through the town in their work of
vengeance. House after house was entered and searched, and all who were
found there put to the sword; but by this time most of those who were
not too drunk to fly had already made for the gates.

In half an hour not an Imperialist was left alive in the town. Then
guards were placed at the gate and breaches, and they waited till
morning. Not a sign of an Imperialist was to be seen on the plain, and
parties sallying out found that they had fled in the utmost disorder.
Arms, accoutrements, and portions of plunder lay scattered thickly
about, and it was clear that in the belief that the Swedish army was on
them, the Imperialists had fled panic stricken, and were now far away.
Upwards of two hundred bodies were found in the streets and houses.

A huge grave was dug outside the walls, and here the fallen foes were
buried. Only three or four of the defenders of the town were killed and
a score or so wounded in the whole affair. Although there was little
fear of a return, as the Imperialists would probably continue their
headlong flight for a long distance, and would then march with all haste
to rejoin their main army with the news that a strong Swedish force
was at Mansfeld, the count set the townspeople at once to repair the
breaches.

The people were overjoyed with their success, and delighted at
having preserved their homes from destruction, for they knew that the
Imperialists would, if unsuccessful against the castle, have given the
town to the flames before retiring. The women and children flocked down
to their homes again, and although much furniture had been destroyed and
damage d