entrance, he waited until the gang had assembled
round the door, and were trying to break in; when, lifting an enormous
piece with gigantic strength, he dropped it on the heads of the
besiegers.

Fearful cries arose, and the gang, who were at the door, fled right
and left, leaving four or five of their number crushed beneath the
ponderous mass.

The next moment they returned with redoubled fury, dashing stones
against the windows and the roof, while the door resounded with the
blows of their clubs.

Notwithstanding the stones which were flying round him, Barnabas stood
at the window dashing down the heavy iron masses, and killing two or
three men every time.

His brother, meanwhile, continued firing from the tower, and not a
ball was aimed in vain. The besiegers had lost a great number, and
began to fall back, after fruitless efforts to break in the door, when
a footman entered breathless, to inform Barnabas that the Wallachians
were beginning to scale the opposite side of the castle with ladders,
and that the servants were unable to resist them.

Barnabas rushed to the spot.

Two servants lay mortally wounded in one of the back rooms, through
the windows of which the Wallachians were already beginning to enter,
while another ladder had been placed against the opposite window,
which they were beginning to scale as Barnabas entered.

"Here, wretches!" he roared furiously, and, seizing the ladder with
both hands, shook it so violently that the men were precipitated from
it, and then, lifting it with supernatural strength, he dashed it
against the opposite one, which broke with the force of the weight
thrown against it, the upper part falling backwards with the men upon
it, while one of the party remained hanging from the window-sill, and,
after immense exertions to gain a footing, he too fell to the earth.

Barnabas rushed into the next room grinding his teeth, his lips
foaming, and his face of a livid hue: so appalling was his whole
appearance, that one of the gang, who had been the first to enter by
the window, turned pale with terror, and dropped his axe.

Taking advantage of this, Barnabas darted on his enemy, and, dragging
him with irresistible force to the window, he dashed him from it.

"On here! as many as you are," he shouted furiously, the blood gushing
from his mouth from the blow of a stone. "On! all who wish a fearful
death!"

At that instant, a shriek of terror rose within the house. The
Walla