Part 30 (1/2)
Without an instant's pause, Murray bounded out, gun in hand, closely followed by Wahika, who had now returned, just as, with a shout, the convicts came running towards them. But as they reached Mr Meadows, he had risen to his knees, and begun to limp towards the house.
”Not much hurt; but never mind me; get back.”
As he spoke, a couple of shots were fired at the little group, but without effect; and, by being supported on either side, Mr Meadows was enabled to reach the house; the door was rapidly closed, and barricaded; and then he sank into a chair; while, this being different from a surprise, the convicts were seen to pause, and to consult as to the plan of their operations.
”Are you much hurt, parson?” said old Lee gravely.
”No, not much, friend Lee,” was the reply. ”I don't believe the bullet struck me, only some stones driven up when it hit the ground; but it lamed me for the time. There!” he said, as he finished binding his handkerchief round his leg; ”I'm ready now, and we must try the strong hand with them. They made me prisoner, but I knocked down my keepers, and escaped. Thanks, friend Murray!” he continued, taking the gun and its appurtenances offered by the young man. ”I'm rather out of practice, but I think I can leg and wing a few of the rascals.”
”I think you had better body them!” said old Lee fiercely.
”I don't,” said Mr Meadows, priming his piece. ”But don't let me interfere with you. Suppose you open the windows on either side the door, my men?” And this being done, he placed a featherbed upon a table, so that it half filled the window, when, resting his piece upon it, he stood ready, his example being followed by the others.
The next instant he took rapid aim, and fired, when a convict, who had been reconnoitring, was seen to drop, and then try to drag himself back to his comrades, who sent a volley at the house in reply.
”There!” said Mr Meadows, coolly reloading; ”that was as good as a body-shot, friend Lee. Think I'd aim low, if I were you.”
The old man nodded doubtfully, and smiled; when Murray, observing that the men were dividing into two parties, made towards the back of the house, so as to be on the look-out for an attack in that quarter; and it was well he did so, for six men were creeping up under the shade of the trees.
He fired, and one dropped, leaped up, but fell again, to lie motionless; and the young man felt a cold chill run through him as he knew that he had, for the first time, taken a human life.
On turning to reload, he found himself face to face with Kate; and dark as it was, he could make out the agitation depicted in her countenance.
”Go back,” he said; ”go back, darling!” And, for a moment, he pressed her in his arms, when, yielding to his entreaties, she returned to the inner room, just as half a dozen more shots came whistling through door and window.
”Keep watch here,” Murray whispered to one of the shepherds. And the man took his place, while he went to the front, to find that several shots had been exchanged, and that one of the shepherds was bleeding upon the floor.
Just then a tall, burly ruffian rushed forward recklessly, and, shouting to the occupants of the house to give up, if they wished to save their lives, fired another shot, and then turned to join his companions.
”I believe that's the rascal who wounded our poor friend here,”
exclaimed Mr Meadows, firing as he spoke. ”No; I've missed him! Legs _are_ hard to hit as they run. Fire low, my friends.”
Several of the convicts had fallen, for the besieged kept up a well-sustained fire; and this made the a.s.sailants cautious, for they took shelter behind trees and sheds, firing almost at random, but not without effect; for another shepherd was badly hit, and a groan from the inner room told that mischief was done there. And it was so; for, after a few minutes, Mrs Lee, Katie, and one woman came calmly out, Mrs Lee whispering something to her husband; and then, in answer to entreaties that they would go back, they replied that they were as safe in the front room as elsewhere; and, tearing up some linen, proceeded to bandage the wounds of those who were hurt.
Suddenly, a cry made Murray dart to the back, to find the shepherd struggling with a convict, who had forced his way in, thus giving time for a couple more to enter, when a fierce struggle ensued, ending in two of the men being struck down, and the other beating a retreat; but this episode had been fatal, the besieged having been drawn off just as a daring a.s.sault was made upon the front.
It was in vain that Mr Meadows fired, and then knocked down two who were rus.h.i.+ng in over the broken door. The struggle was short, but very fierce, and one after the other the defenders were beaten down, or back from room to room, till, turning for a moment, on hearing a loud cry for help, Murray saw Bray in the act of pa.s.sing through a door, and bounding after him, he was in time to see him drag Katie through the window, and disappear.
The next instant he had followed, but receiving a tremendous blow upon the head, he fell heavily to the ground.
That blow was given by what should have been a friend's hand, but it had an effect that Anthony Bray had not intended. The minute before he had been dragging a timid, yielding girl after him. But now, as in the dim light she saw the dastardly act, a feeling of rage filled Katie's soul; and, tearing herself away, she flung herself upon her knees, lifting the head of Murray gently, and with her handkerchief binding up a severe wound the young man had received.
The place they were in was a sort of outhouse, which had been added to the side of the building, but without the window being filled up; and as Murray climbed out, the cas.e.m.e.nt had swung to again; and it was well for the moment, for having beaten down the little remaining resistance, the convicts spread through the place, seizing the arms and ransacking cupboard and drawer; while old Lee, beaten down, wounded, looked on with agonised countenance; but not alone, for his wife clung to him, turning a defiant face upon the destroyers of her home.
Two men rushed into the chamber, through which Bray had dragged Katie, and concluding that those of whom they were in search had pa.s.sed through a door on the other side, they hurried through that, and disappeared, but only to make their way back into the central room.
Meanwhile, overcoming his surprise at the fierce way in which Katie resisted him, Bray caught her in his arms, and drew her towards the outhouse door.
”Foolish girl! it's for life and liberty! There, I'm stronger than you,” he cried, ”and if I must use force, I will. Come quietly, Katie-- come. We can reach the horses--mine is there yet--and fly to safety, away from this scene!”