The captain slapped his hat on with a crush.
“That’s what she’s going to do,” he said, as he stood like a football-rusher before the ball is put in play.
“Grab her!” I shouted; and, with a bound, the captain made a high tackle just as the lady became limp. Out in the hall I jumped, and yelled, “Oh, you people up-stairs there, come down; come running; the lady has fainted; we are soldiers; come down; come down; come down, somebody!” And from the upper darkness a white-robed figure glided past me into the lighted room.
“Oh, I’m so glad!” she said, as she swept up to the rather engaging scene of the beautiful woman and the captain, who was “not glad,” judging from his disconcerted air; and to make a story short, we left the house.
As we mounted we could see the darkness beginning to gray, and knew that morning would come shortly.
“It’s been a nasty night’s work, but if it once comes daylight I’ll leave nothing of these rioters but their horrible memory,” mused the old captain.
“There is a glow in the sky off there—don’t you see?” I added.
“Fire! Oh, I’ve expected that.”
As the light grayed I could see the doors of majestic residences open, windows broken, and débris trailing down the steps.