a
party of a dozen, including John, all disguised in labourers' clothes,
had noiselessly scaled the fence in different parts by two and two, and,
recognising one another by a password previously agreed upon, were soon
clustered together under some dense shrubs not far from the passage
window before mentioned. It was a tranquil morning, but very cloudy.
All was deep stillness in the house. Little did Mrs Franklin and her
daughter think, as they read together before parting for the night those
comforting words, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that
fear Him, and delivereth them," that such foes and such protectors were
so close at hand. But they laid them down in perfect peace, and their
heavenly Father's loving power was as a wall of fire about them.
Patiently did the watchers listen from their hiding-place to every
sound. Two o'clock, at last, rang out clear from the great timepiece on
the stairs; they could hear it distinctly outside. What was that sound?
Only the distant barking of a fox. But now there are other sounds.
One, two, three, at length six men in all have crept to the part of the
yard opposite the back door. All paused and looked carefully round:
everything seemed safe.

"Well," said one who appeared to be a leader, "it does not seem as if we
need be over particular: there's neither dog nor man about, and the
women won't _do_ much. Where's the crowbar?"

"Here."

Just at this moment a bright ray of light flashed out along the passage,
and a female figure could be seen crossing the landing. The
housebreakers shrunk back.

"It will not do," said the leader, half aloud; "they've got scent of us
somehow: pr'aps they've some men inside to help them, we'd better be
off."

"Fools! Cowards!" exclaimed a younger man, in a fierce whisper, as the
others began to slink away; "are you afraid of a parcel of women? But
I'll not be baffled: she's there:" and he raised a pistol, and pointed
it towards the figure which had descended close to the passage window
with the light in her hand, and was trying to peer into the darkness
outside. His companion pulled down his arm with a savage imprecation.
All was still for a few minutes, and the female retired to the landing
and then disappeared. The burglars hesitated, when, just at the moment
of their indecision, one of the police imitated the low growling of a
dog close at hand. Instantly the whole gang took to their heels,
closely followed b