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Otago Witness, Issue 2864, 3 February 1909, Page 78

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F^ ( "Uver well, perchance," Baid be gloomily, Mbd I drew away from the window, and feting the ashes on the hearth, discovered A few opals, which by dint of puffing and | filing on twigs I stirred to flame. The , Jfrrl t-mie from ,ie inner room, haggard

and heavy-eyed, and going to Peniwich put her hand upon his arm. "Antony Pentwich," she said earnestly, "j'ou told me when you came to me in the night that you had made a late repentance, and would undo the evil you

had wrought. I do believe you, I do trust you ; I give him into your hands. Let him go with you ; let him on coming into another place send me word thence, and though the journey be to the other en-d of the earth, I'll come to him. I

pray for you both." He bowed low OA*er her hand, and, taking it, lifted it to his lips. She went away then. "I'm going down to the shore," she said, rolling back the logs. "I'll signal to them to come ashore for you. You will be safer waiting here."

Scarce had the logs closed after her than old Welby came from within, shivering with the cold. "A rough wind, valet of Mr Antony Pentwich," he muttered, leaning over the fire. "You'll have a stormy passage I take it." "It -was well we were aboard," I said.

Antony Pentwich, who had been leaning forth, sprang suddenly from the window and clashed the shutters to. "Clinton and his pack," he said quietly ; "and they've seen me." I started up in wild panic, and old Welby shook as with afpalsy.

"Red-coats here !" he screamed, wringing his hands. "A curse upon ye ! Out of this hou'te ! Out of this house!"

Pentwich turned' on him savagely, and flung him down. "A gag — and that rope," he cried. "Quick ! — truss Mm up, or he'll let them in on us ! ' '

With shaking fingers I bound him, and thrust a piece of skin into his mouth, and, grasping him, Pentwich bore him into an inner room and flung him down there.

"If we can keep them busy at the front," he said, "till the girl signals to the brig, all may be well."

They knocked loudly now upon the gate ; the dog raved at them from within, and at the bound yourig Enderby came tottering out with pallid face. "Rouse yourself, man !" Pentwich cried, and, taking a flask from his pocket, flung it to him. The brandy brought a sudden life and colour to his cheeks.

"Red-coats!" he nvuttered. "I'll die rather than let them get me," and, running to the wall, snatched down a gun. Pentwioh and I took down the >thers, and &et them by the door, finding powder flask and' bullets hanging hard by them on the wall.

"Hark at them !" Pentwich cried, for the gate shook with their knocking, while the dog barked furiously.

"Open — in the King's name," I heard Clinton call ; but we made no answer.

"Call in the dog," Pentwich ordered, and, obedient to his word, I opened the door. He called in h. low tone, and as the dog came bounding up at the sound of his voice he dr&ggedi it, scarce resisting, into the room, while I shot the bar afresh. They smote resoundingly upon the gate, shouting our names, Pentwich's and mine, ajid, seeing that it must soon go down ; we stood to the loopholes in, the door, resting the barrels to sweep the gateway. The gate hung stoutly, but they dashed it down at length, and as its timoers feill they hung about it, dreading a shot. Antony Pentwich knelt at the door and called softly, "I warn you I shoot down the first who enters."

At Clinton's word they rushed it, striving to reach the door, but "our pieces rang out, and they went flying back, save for a stout fellow, who lay still in the path before the door. They fired a volley then, and the bullets rattled on the timbers-; imt we fired back an answer, knowing that we must keep them by the hut front or we were lost : aoid so rapidly we loaded and again fired and again, while they kept secure behind the fence, blazing away at intervals at the door. We spa-red neither powder nor shot, and waited bill there might be hope of the boat coming ashore.

"Come!" at length cried Penitwich

We fired yet again, and, laying down our pieces, snatohed up o,ur pittols ; then through the parted logs we went, the dog following, and the great wind covered otir scurrying. We stole then through the scrub, while yet their muskets peppered the door ; we gained the beach in safety, unobserved. The girl, who, terrorfftracken at the firing, crouched beneath a rock, pointed to a boat coming in on a- heavy pea— a slight thing, a mere cockle-shell, pulled 4jy two men. I saw Pentwioh'B lips tighten, and I grew sick with terror, for I knew thai no 6uch boat could bear us all and live in such a sea.

"G'Ood-'-bye," t!ie \gh-l cried, flinging her arms about her brother and kissing him. "God in His mercy bless and prosper you."

We waded out into the water, waistdeep, and the boat came in, pulled skilfully.

"Into her." Pentwich cried to Enderby and me. as one of the two men in her stretched out a hand to haul one in. "We can carry but one," the ' fellow roared. "We're ordered only to carry one— Anton y Pentwich, and none other."" "This is he," Pentwich cried, thnustiog young- Endei-by toward the boat, and the seaman gripped him and hauled him, ghabtly and gasping. Then we raced shot-awards to the cover of the rocks, where the girl knelt. "God bless you— O God bless you," she cried weeping wildly. "It was reparation," Antony Pentwich said quietly. Up afe the hut the sound of firing had ceased. °

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