He then
moved round to the front; here the ladder was also fixed. A light
flashed down from the terrace above showed that here too the party
were in position; and Rupert began to mount, followed by Van Duyk,
who had insisted upon taking that post, so as to be ready to spring
to the assistance of his child at the first attack. The ladder
reached exactly to the window, and as his eyes reached the level
Rupert peered anxiously in.
At a table, on which burned a candle, sat a man with a huge bowl of
liquor and a brace of pistols before him. On a pallet bed in a
corner lay a figure, which Rupert felt sure was that of Maria.
Rupert doubted not in the least that the order to the watcher was
to kill her at the first alarm. Twice he raised his pistol, twice
withdrew it. If he did not kill the man on the spot, Maria's life
would be clearly forfeited. Under such circumstances he dared not
fire.
After a moment's thought he gave a sharp tap at the window, and
then shrank below the level of the window, and with both his
pistols pointed upwards, he waited. As he expected, in a moment the
window darkened, and the figure of a man was seen trying to look
out into the darkness. As he leaned against the glass, Rupert
discharged both his pistols into his body, and then, leaping up,
dashed in the window, and leapt over the man's body into the room.
Maria had sprung up with a scream.
"You are safe, Maria," Rupert exclaimed, as he ran to the door.
Pages:
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231