“They won’t be in a hurry to try that again,” I said as I closed the window; “but we must watch them. Let one of the men come up here and keep a lookout;” and I went down again to Boreski.
Another long wait followed during which we heard plenty of movement in the room close at hand.
“Something’s doing,” I said. “I wish to Heaven we knew what.”
“I’ll try to speak to them again,” he replied, and made a second attempt with no better result.
Later, Helga sent for me. I found she had got the women-servants well in hand and all were engaged in keeping a vigilant watch.
“We can see them going up and down that ladder, and each man seems to carry something up and come down empty handed. See,” and she led me to a small barred window from which I could see the ladder.
What I saw made me catch my breath. A couple of men went up with an armful of straw and a third followed with a bundle of small wood. They were going to set fire to the house. I did not speak this thought to Helga.
“What does it mean?” she asked.
“I’ll try to find out.”
“You think I’m afraid, I suppose? You know that they mean to set the house on fire, and you won’t say it.”