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silence I hardly knew for what； doubtful at first whether I had
dreamed about the bang at the door； or whether the blow had
really been struck on it。
In a minute or less there came a second bang； louder than the
first。 I ran out into the passage。
〃Who's there？〃
〃Let us in；〃 answered a voice； which I recognised immediately as
the voice of Shifty Dick。
〃Wait a bit； my dear； and let me explain；〃 said a second voice；
in the low； oily； jeering tones of Dick's companionthe wickedly
clever little man whom he called Jerry。 〃You are alone in the
house； my pretty little dear。 You may crack your sweet voice with
screeching； and there's nobody near to hear you。 Listen to
reason； my love； and let us in。 We don't want cider this timewe
only want a very neat…looking pocketbook which you happen to
have； and your late excellent mother's four silver teaspoons；
which you keep so nice and clean on the chimney…piece。 If you let
us in we won't hurt a hair of your head； my cherub； and we
promise to go away the moment we have got what we want； unless
you particularly wish us to stop to tea。 If you keep us out； we
shall be obliged to break into the house and then〃
〃And then；〃 burst in Shifty Dick； 〃we'll _mash_ you！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jerry； 〃we'll mash you； my beauty。 But you won't
drive us to doing that； will you？ You will let us in？〃
This long parley gave me time to recover from the effect which
the first bang at the door had produced on my nerves。 The threats
of the two villains would have terrified some women out of their
senses； but the only result they produced on _me_ was violent
indignation。 I had； thank God； a strong spirit of my own； and the
cool； contemptuous insolence of the man Jerry effectually roused
it。
〃You cowardly villains！〃 I screamed at them through the door。
〃You think you can frighten me because I am only a poor girl left
alone in the house。 You ragamuffin thieves； I defy you both！ Our
bolts are strong； our shutters are thick。 I am here to keep my
father's house safe； and keep it I will against an army of you！〃
You may imagine what a passion I was in when I vapored and
blustered in that way。 I heard Jerry laugh and Shifty Dick swear
a whole mouthful of oaths。 Then there was a dead silence for a
minute or two； and then the two ruffians attacked the door。
I rushed into the kitchen and seized the poker； and then heaped
wood on the fire； and lighted all the candles I could find； for I
felt as though I could keep up my courage better if I had plenty
of light。 Strange and improbable as it may appear； the next thing
that attracted my attention was my poor pussy； crouched up；
panic…stricken； in a corner。 I was so fond of the little creature
that I took her up in my arms and carried her into my bedroom and
put her inside my bed。 A comical thing to do in a situation of
deadly peril； was it not？ But it seemed quite natural and proper
at the time。
All this while the blows were falling faster and faster on the
door。 They were dealt； as I conjectured； with heavy stones picked
up from the ground outside。 Jerry sang at his wicked work； and
Shifty Dick swore。 As I left the bedroom after putting the cat
under cover； I heard the lower panel of the door begin to crack。
I ran into the kitchen and huddled our four silver spoons into my
pocket； then took the unlucky book with the bank…notes and put it
in the bosom of my dress。 I was determined to defend the property
confided to my care with my life。 Just as I had secured the
pocketbook I heard the door splintering； and rushed into the
passage again with my heavy kitchen poker lifted in both hands。
I was in time to see the bald head of Jerry； with the
ugly…looking knobs on it； pushed into the passage through a great
rent in one of the lower panels of the door。
〃Get out； you villain； or I'll brain you on the spot！〃 I
screeched； threatening him with the poker。
Mr。 Jerry took his head out again much faster than he put it in。
The next thing that came through the rent was a long pitchfork；
which they darted at me from the outside； to move me from the
door。 I struck at it with all my might； and the blow must have
jarred the hand of Shifty Dick up to his very shoulder； for I
heard him give a roar of rage and pain。 Before he could catch at
the fork with his other hand I had drawn it inside。 By this time
even Jerry lost his temper and swore more awfully than Dick
himself。
Then there came another minute of respite。 I suspected they had
gone to get bigger stones； and I dreaded the giving way of the
whole door。
Running into the bedroom as this fear beset me； I laid hold of my
chest of drawers； dragged it into the passage； and threw it down
against the door。 On the top of that I heaped my father's big
tool chest； three chairs； and a scuttleful of coals； and last； I
dragged out the kitchen table and rammed it as hard as I could
against the whole barricade。 They heard me as they were coming up
to the door with fresh stones。 Jerry said： 〃Stop a bit！〃 and t
hen the two consulted together in whispers。 I listened eagerly；
and just caught these words：
〃Let's try it the other way。〃
Nothing more was said； but I heard their footsteps retreating
from the door。
Were they going to besiege the back door now？
I had hardly asked myself that question when I heard their voices
at the other side of the house。 The back door was smaller than
the front； but it had this advantage in the way of strengthit
was made of two solid oak boards joined lengthwise； and
strengthened inside by heavy cross pieces。 It had no bolts like
the front door； but was fastened by a bar of iron running across
it in a slanting direction； and fitting at either end into the
wall。
〃They must have the whole cottage down before they can break in
at that door！〃 I thought to myself。 And they soon found out as
much for themselves。 After five minutes of banging at the back
door they gave up any further attack in that direction and cast
their heavy stones down with curses of fury awful to hear。
I went into the kitchen and dropped on the window…seat to rest
for a moment。 Suspense and excitement together were beginning to
tell upon me。 The perspiration broke out thick on my forehead；
and I began to feel the bruises I had inflicted on my hands in
making the barricade against the front door。 I had not lost a
particle of my resolution； but I was beginning to lose strength。
There was a bottle of rum in the cupboard； which my brother the
sailor had left with us the last time he was ashore。 I drank a
drop of it。 Never before or since have I put anything down my
throat that did me half so much good as that precious mouthful of
rum！
I was still sitting in the window…seat drying my face； when I
suddenly heard their voices close behind me。
They were feeling the outside of the window against which I was
sitting。 It was protected； like all the other windows in the
cottage； by iron bars。 I listened in dreadful suspense for the
sound of filing； but nothing of the sort was audible。 They had
evidently reckoned on frightening me easily into letting them in；
and had come unprovided with house…breaking tools of any kind。 A
fresh burst of oaths informed me that they had recognized the
obstacle of the iron bars。 I listened breathlessly for some
warning of what they were going to do next； but their voices
seemed to die away in the distance。 They were retreating from the
window。 Were they also retreating from the house altogether？ Had
they given up the idea of effecting an entrance in despair？
A long silence followeda silence which tried my courage even
more severely than the tumult of their first attack on the
cottage。
Dreadful suspicions now beset me of their being able to
accomplish by treachery what they had failed to effect by force。
Well as I knew the cottage； I began to doubt whether there might
not be ways of cunningly and silently entering it against which I
was not provided。 The ticking of the clock annoyed me； the
crackling of the fire startled me。 I looked out twenty times in a
minute into the dark corners of the passage； straining my eyes；
holding my breath； anticipating the most unlikely events； the
most impossible dangers。 Had they really gone； or were they still
prowling about the house？ Oh； what a sum of money I would have
given only to have known what they were about in that interval of
silence！
I was startled at last out of my suspense in the most awful
manner。 A shout from one of them reached my ears on a sudden down
the kitchen chimney。 It was so unexpected and so horrible in the
stillness that I screamed for the first time since the attack on
the house。 My worst forebodings had never suggested to me that
the two villains might mount upon the roof。
〃Let us in； you she…devil！〃 roared a voice down the chimney。
There was another pause。 The smoke from the wood fire； thin and
light as it was in the red state of the embers at that moment；
had evidently obliged the man to take his face from the mouth of
the chimney。 I counted the seconds while he was； as I
conjectured； getting his breath again。 In less than half a minute
there came another shout：
〃Let us in； or we'll burn the place