m
behind, and Paul whirled about again, his heart full of sickening fear.

But it was Henry who stood erect. He had wrenched the warrior's own
tomahawk from him, and had slain him with it. His face was flushed with a
victorious glow, but he stood there only a moment. Then he seized his own
second and loaded rifle, and ran to the chimney. But nothing more came
down it, and there were no more sounds of warriors walking on the roof.
The three who had come had been daring men, but they had paid the price.
The shots and shouts around continued for a little space, forms dashed
heavily against the door, and then, as suddenly as it began, the tumult
ceased.

Paul felt a chill of horror creeping through his bones. It was all so
ghastly. The dead warriors lay, each upon his back, one among the dead
coals, and Paul could hear nothing but his own and Henry's heavy
breathing.

"It was a daring thing to do," said Henry at last, "to come down the
chimney that way; but it has been done before in Kentucky."

Then they reloaded their rifles, but Paul was like one in a dream. It
seemed to him now that he could not endure the long hours in the cabin
with those dead faces on the floor staring at him with their dead eyes.

"Henry," he said, "we can't keep them here."

"No," replied Henry, "we can't; but we must wait a little."

Paul sat down on the bench. He felt for a moment faint and sick. The
little cabin was full of rifle smoke, and it lay heavy in his nostrils and
upon his lungs. He felt as if he were breathing poisoned air. But the
smoke gradually drifted away up the chimney, and the thick, clogging
feeling departed from his lungs and nostrils. Strength and spirit came
back.

"How are we to get rid of them?" he asked, nodding toward the dead
warriors.

"Let's wait an hour at least, and I'll show you," replied Henry.

The hour passed, but to Paul it seemed two. Then Henry took the largest of
the warriors and dragged him to the wall just beneath the window. The
second and third he did the same way.

"Now, Paul," he said, "you must take down the bar and open the window.
Then I'll pitch them out. The besiegers will be surprised, and they won't
have time to get at us."

Paul accepted his part of the task eagerly. There might be danger, but
better that than having the dead men lying on the floor and staring at him
with dead eyes. He took down the bar and quickly held the window open.
Henry heaved up the bodies of the warriors