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there came another shout：
〃Let us in； or we'll burn the place down over your head！〃
Burn it？ Burn what？ There was nothing easily combustible but the
thatch on the roof； and that had been well soaked by the heavy
rain which had now fallen incessantly for more than six hours。
Burn the place over my head？ How？
While I was still casting about wildly in my mind to discover
what possible danger there could be of fire； one of the heavy
stones placed on the thatch to keep it from being torn up by high
winds came thundering down the chimney。 It scattered the live
embers on the hearth all over the room。 A richly…furnished place；
with knickknacks and fine muslin about it； would have been set on
fire immediately。 Even our bare floor and rough furniture gave
out a smell of burning at the first shower of embers which the
first stone scattered。
For an instant I stood quite horror…struck before this new proof
of the devilish ingenuity of the villains outside。 But the
dreadful danger I was now in recalled me to my senses
immediately。 There was a large canful of water in my bedroom； and
I ran in at once to fetch it。 Before I could get back to the
kitchen a second stone had been thrown down the chimney； and the
floor was smoldering in several places。
I had wit enough to let the smoldering go on for a moment or two
more； and to pour the whole of my canful of water over the fire
before the third stone came down the chimney。 The live embers on
the floor I easily disposed of after that。 The man on the roof
must have heard the hissing of the fire as I put it out； and have
felt the change produced in the air at the mouth of the chimney；
for after the third stone had descended no more followed it。 As
for either of the ruffians themselves dropping down by the same
road along which the stones had come； that was not to be dreaded。
The chimney； as I well knew by our experience in cleaning it； was
too narrow to give passage to any one above the size of a small
boy。
I looked upward as that comforting reflection crossed my mindI
looked up； and saw； as plainly as I see the paper I am now
writing on； the point of a knife coming through the inside of the
roof just over my head。 Our cottage had no upper story； and our
rooms had no ceilings。 Slowly and wickedly the knife wriggled its
way through the dry inside thatch between the rafters。 It stopped
for a while； and there came a sound of tearing。 That； in its
turn； stopped too； there was a great fall of dry thatch on the
floor； and I saw the heavy； hairy hand of Shifty Dick； armed with
the knife； come through after the fallen fragments。 He tapped at
the rafters with the back of the knife； as if to test their
strength。 Thank God； they were substantial and close together！
Nothing lighter than a hatchet would have sufficed to remove any
part of them。
The murderous hand was still tapping with the knife when I heard
a shout from the man Jerry； coming from the neighborhood of my
father's stone…shed in the back yard。 The hand and knife
disappeared instantly。 I went to the back door and put my ear to
it； and listened。
Both men were now in the shed。 I made the most desperate efforts
to call to mind what tools and other things were left in it which
might be used against me。 But my agitation confused me。 I could
remember nothing except my father's big stone…saw； which was far
too heavy and unwieldy to be used on the roof of the cottage。 I
was still puzzling my brains； and making my head swim to no
purpose； when I heard the men dragging something out of the shed。
At the same instant that the noise caught my ear； the remembrance
flashed across me like lightning of some beams of wood which had
lain in the shed for years past。 I had hardly time to feel
certain that they were removing one of these beams before I heard
Shifty Dick say to Jerry。
〃Which door？〃
〃The front；〃 was the answer。 〃We've cracked it already； we'll
have it down now in no time。〃
Senses less sharpened by danger than mine would have understood
but too easily； from these words； that they were about to use the
beam as a battering…ram against the door。 When that conviction
overcame me； I lost courage at last。 I felt that the door must
come down。 No such barricade as I had constructed could support
it for more than a few minutes against such shocks as it was now
to receive。
〃I can do no more to keep the house against them；〃 I said to
myself； with my knees knocking together； and the tears at last
beginning to wet my cheeks。 〃I must trust to the night and the
thick darkness； and save my life by running for it while there is
yet time。〃
I huddled on my cloak and hood； and had my hand on the bar of the
back door； when a piteous mew from the bedroom reminded me of the
existence of poor Pussy。 I ran in； and huddled the creature up in
my apron。 Before I was out in the passage again； the first shock
from the beam fell on the door。
The upper hinge gave way。 The chairs and coal…scuttle； forming
the top of my barricade； were hurled； rattling； on to the floor；
but the lower hinge of the door； and the chest of drawers and the
tool…chest still kept their places。
〃One more！〃 I heard the villains cry〃one more run with the
beam； and down it comes！〃
Just as they must have been starting for that 〃one more run；〃 I
opened the back door and fled into the night； with the bookful of
banknotes in my bosom； the silver spoons in my pocket； and the
cat in my arms。 I threaded my way easily enough through the
familiar obstacles in the backyard； and was out in the pitch
darkness of the moor before I heard the second shock； and the
crash which told me that the whole door had given way。
In a few minutes they must have discovered the fact of my flight
with the pocketbook； for I heard shouts in the distance as if
they were running out to pursue me。 I kept on at the top of my
speed； and the noise soon died away。 It was so dark that twenty
thieves instead of two would have found it useless to follow me。
How long it was before I reached the farmhousethe nearest place
to which I could fly for refugeI cannot tell you。 I remember
that I had just sense enough to keep the wind at my back （having
observed in the beginning of the evening that it blew toward Moor
Farm）； and to go on resolutely through the darkness。 In all other
respects I was by this time half crazed by what I had gone
through。 If it had so happened that the wind had changed after I
had observed its direction early in the evening； I should have
gone astray； and have probably perished of fatigue and exposure
on the moor。 Providentially； it still blew steadily as it had
blown for hours past； and I reached the farmhouse with my clothes
wet through； and my brain in a high fever。 When I made my alarm
at the door； they had all gone to bed but the farmer's eldest
son； who was sitting up late over his pipe and newspaper。 I just
mustered strength enough to gasp out a few words； telling him
what was the matter； and then fell down at his feet； for the
first time in my life in a dead swoon。
That swoon was followed by a severe illness。 When I got strong
enough to look about me again； I found myself in one of the
farmhouse bedsmy father； Mrs。 Knifton； and the doctor were all
in the roommy cat was asleep at my feet； and the pocketbook
that I had saved lay on the table by my side。
There was plenty of news for me to hear as soon as I was fit to
listen to it。 Shifty Dick and the other rascal had been caught；
and were in prison； waiting their trial at the next assizes。 Mr。
and Mrs。 Knifton had been so shocked at the danger I had runfor
which they blamed their own want of thoughtfulness in leaving the
pocketbook in my carethat they had insisted on my father's
removing from our lonely home to a cottage on their land； which
we were to inhabit rent free。 The bank…notes that I had saved
were given to me to buy furniture with； in place of the things
that the thieves had broken。 These pleasant tidings assisted so
greatly in promoting my recovery； that I was soon able to relate
to my friends at the farmhouse the particulars that I have
written here。 They were all surprised and interested； but no one；
as I thought； listened to me with such breathless attention as
the farmer's eldest son。 Mrs。 Knifton noticed this too； and began
to make jokes about it； in her light…hearted way； as soon as we
were alone。 I thought little of her jesting at the time； but when
I got well； and we went to live at our new home； 〃the young
farmer；〃 as he was called in our parts； constantly came to see
us； and constantly managed to meet me out of doors。 I had my
share of vanity； like other young women； and I began to think of
Mrs。 Knifton's jokes with some attention。 To be brief； the young
farmer managed one SundayI never could tell howto lose his
way with me in returning from church； and before we found out the
right road home again he had asked me to be his wife。
His relations did all they could to keep us asunder and break off
the match； thinking a poor stonemason's daughter no fit wife for
a prosperous yeoman。 But the farmer was too obstinate for them。
He had one form of answer to all their objections。 〃A man； if he