Edward slipped under the eaves of the cottage, not six
feet from the man, who remained with his back partly turned to him.
Edward then, finding he had obtained this position unperceived,
crouched down with his gun ready pointed.
As Edward remained in this position, he heard a shrill voice cry out,
"They are getting in behind!" and a movement in cottage. The man near
him, who had his pistol in his hand, put his arm through the window
and fired inside. A shriek was given, and Edward fired his gun into
the body of the man, who immediately fell. Edward lost no time in
reloading his gun, during which he heard the bursting open of the
front door and the report of firearms; then all was silent for a
moment, excepting the wailing of somebody within. As soon as his gun
was reloaded, Edward walked round to the front of the cottage, where
he found the man who was called Ben, lying across the threshold of the
open door. He stepped across the body, and, looking into the room
within, perceived a body stretched on the floor, and a young lad
weeping over it.
"Don't be alarmed, I am a friend," said Edward, going in to where the
body lay; and, taking the light which was at the farther end of the
chamber, he placed it on the floor, that he might examine the state of
the person, who was breathing heavily, and apparently badly wounded.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246