He observed one man to go up to the front
door, while the other went round to the door behind, as had been
agreed. Edward threw open the pan of the lock of the gun, and reprimed
it, that he might be sure, and then waited for what was to follow. He
heard the man Will at the front door, talking and asking for shelter
in a plaintive but loud voice; and shortly afterward he perceived a
light through the chinks of the shutters--for Edward was continually
altering his position to see what was going on in the front and in the
back. At one time, he thought of leveling his gun and killing one of
the men at once; but he could not make up his mind to do that, as a
burglary, although intended, had not yet been committed; so he
remained passive until the attack was really made, when he resolved
that he would come to the rescue. After some minutes of entreaty that
they would open the door, the man in front commenced thumping and
beating against it, as if he would make them open the door by force;
but this was to attract the attention of those within, and divert it
from the attempts that the other was making to get in behind. Edward
was aware of this; he now kept his eye upon what was going on at the
back. Advancing nearer--which he ventured to do now that both the men
were so occupied--he perceived that the fellow had contrived to open
the window close to the back door, and was remaining quite close to it
with a pistol in his hand, apparently not wishing to run the risk of
climbing in.
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