AINTANCES.

For some time the two fugitives remained motionless and listened.
There seemed to be a large number of men below, of whom a few were
inside the mill, but the greater part remained outside. These kept up
an incessant jabber; but it was of a discordant character, some
talking about getting ready a supper, some about making a fire, some
about forage, while at times a word would be dropped which seemed to
indicate that they were in pursuit of fugitives. Nothing more
definite than this could be learned.

Brooke, however, had been gradually creeping to one side of the mill,
where there was a window, while Talbot followed as noiselessly as
possible, until they both were able from their concealment to look
out upon the scene below, which was in no way calculated to reassure
them. They saw a crowd of men, about a hundred in number, who looked
very much to Brooke like the train-stoppers of the day before. Their
arms were piled, and they themselves were dispersed about, engaged in
various occupations; some eating, some drinking, some smoking, while
from them all a confused hubbub arose.

Half a dozen ill-looking fellows came toward the door of the mill.

"A fire!" said one. "Let's burn down the old mill. There's wood
enough in it."

"Ay," said another, "wood enough for a hundred fires."

A shout of applause greeted this proposal, but the hearers above felt
their hearts quail with horror. Talbot laid her hand on Brooke's arm.
Brooke, to reassure her, took her hand in his and pressed it gently,
and felt it cold and tremulous. He drew her nearer to him, and
whispered softly in her ear,

"Don't be alarmed. At the worst, we can give ourselves up. Trust to
me."

Talbot drew a long breath, and made a desperate effort to master her
fears; but the scene below grew more and more terrible. The wild
shout of approbation which followed the proposal to bum the mill was
caught up by one after another, till at last the whole band was
filled with that one idea. A dozen men rushed inside, and began to
hammer, and tear, and pull at the flooring and other parts of the
wood-work, while others busied themselves with preparing splints with
which to kindle the fire.

"Brooke," whispered Talbot, in a tremulous voice--"oh, Brooke, let us
go down."

"Wait--not yet," said Brooke, on whose brow cold drops of
perspiration were already standing. "Wait. Let us see what they will
do."

Talbot drew back with a shudder.

"The mill is