reak or dislodge them. Though weakened with decaying rust,
they are yet strong enough to sustain the shock of shoulders, and the
tug of arms.

"Trapped, by the Eternal!" despairingly exclaims the hunter. "Yes,
gentlemen, we're caged to a certainty."

They need not telling. All are now aware of it--too well. They see
themselves shut in--helplessly, hopelessly imprisoned.

Impossible to describe their thoughts, or depict their looks, in that
anguished hour. No pen, or pencil, could do justice to either. Outside
are their dear ones; near, but far away from any hope of help, as if
twenty miles lay between. And what is being done to them? No one
asks--none likes to tempt the answer; all guessing what it would be,
dreading to hear it spoken. Never did men suffer emotions more
painfully intense, passions more heartfelt and harrowing; not even the
prisoners of Cawnpore, or the Black Hole of Calcutta.

They are in darkness now--have been from the moment of the door being
closed. For, expecting to be fired at from the outside, they had
suddenly extinguished the lights. They wonder there has been no
shooting, aware that the Comanches carry fire-arms. But as yet there
has been no report, either of pistol, or gun!

They hear only voices--which they can distinguish as those of the
house-Servants--male and female--all negroes or mulattoes. There are
shrieks, intermingled with speeches, the last in accent of piteous
appealing; there is moaning and groaning. But where are the shouts of
the assailants? Where the Indian yell--the dread slogan of the savage?
Not a stave of it is heard--nought that resembles a warwhoop of
Comanches!

And soon is nothing heard. For the shrieks of the domestics have
ceased, their cries coming suddenly, abruptly to an end, as if stifled
by blows bringing death.

Inside the room is a death-like stillness; outside the same.

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

MASSACRE WITHOUT MERCY.

Pass to the scene outside, than which none more tragical in the history
of Texan colonisation.

_No_ need to tell who the Indians are that have shown their faces at the
dining-room door, shutting and locking it. They are those seen by
Hawkins and Tucker--the same Dupre's traitorous servant has conducted
through the gap in the garden wall; whence, after making seizure of the
girls, they continued on to the house, the half-blood at their head.

Under his guidance they passed through the cattle corral, and into the