“But mother says, never open the door after dark, till we know who’s there. I’ll tell him what mother does,” and raising her voice, Sue called out, “You must go to Miss Pratt’s boarding house on Walnut Street. That’s where folks stay.”
“But we ain’t got any money. Just open the door an’ give us a few cents, can’t ye?”
“We mustn’t open the door,” gasped Jenny, “for don’t you know, when they get in they murder folks and everything.”
Tod gave a howl, and disappeared under the sofa.
“You sha’n’t come in—never!” screamed Maybee, stamping her foot.
“Open the door, or we’ll break it down,” was the gruff reply, whereat Maybee vanished under the table as rapidly as Tod had done.
The door began to be violently shaken. With a thoughtfulness quite beyond her years Sue put out the lights, and grasping the keys of the side-board tightly in one hand and Tod in the other, she led the way softly up stairs.
Looking out in the moonlight they could see three men go away from the door and begin to try the different windows.
“Oh! they’re so big, and there’s only us. They’ll come in and get everything, and kill us, just as sure. Oh! what shall we do? What shall we do?” and Sue, her courage suddenly giving way, dropped on the floor, sobbing and crying as if her heart would break.
“No, no! Don’t you remember,” said Say, her own lips ashy white, “the side God is on is the strongest, always. He can’t be with those bad, wicked men, and if he’s with us, we’re a great many the most.”