Just as the clock was striking nine, and when her mother had once more fallen asleep after her recent rude awakening, the girl's attentive ear caught the sound of a horse's familiar tread, and tiptoeing lightly out on the platform, she softly closed the door behind her and awaited the rider.
She was not at fault in her surmise, for the horseman was the one she had hoped to see, and at her low summons he rode close up to the platform where she stood, all impatient to divulge her message.
"I thought you'd never come, or else that you had already passed the gate without me seeing you!" cried Sally in an eager undertone when he drew rein.
"I would certainly have started earlier if I'd known you were waiting," answered the rider contritely.
"Did you know we are expecting the raiders to pay us a visit tonight?" she asked hurriedly, coming at once to the point.
"Pay this gate a visit?" queried Milt in genuine surprise that proved her words news to him.
"Yes."
"Are you quite sure about that?" he asked thoughtfully, "How do you know it's to be this gate?"
"The Squire came by on his way to town only a little while ago, and told mother. He's gone now to raise a posse of men to guard the gate."
"Here's trickery," thought Milt. "I was led to believe it was to be some other gate for tonight's raid, or else I've got things badly mixed. The Squire said it was this gate?" he added aloud.