"Go," said Lupin.
The young lady got out of bed, and both Todd and Lupin followed her from the room. She crossed the landing, and at once opened the door of a room. Then they heard a man's voice say—"Who's that?" and the young lady replied—"Only me, father. I want something out of your room. I shall not be a minute." "Bless the girl," said a female voice—"What can she want?"
In a minute or two the young lady came back to the landing where Todd and Lupin were waiting for her.
"Now," said Lupin in a low voice—"Now, my little dear, have you got it?"
"Quick—quick!" said Todd, "or you die. I am half a mind to cut your throat as it is, just for the pleasure of the thing."
The young lady stood just upon the threshold of the door of her father's room, and then as Lupin held up his light, she raised both her hands, in each of which was a horse-pistol, and presenting one at Lupin's head and one at Todd's, she said—
"Thieves! thieves! thieves!"
CHAPTER CXXXVII.
THE MURDER AT CAEN WOOD, HAMPSTEAD.
It would be quite impossible to describe the effect that was produced upon Lupin and Sweeney Todd, by this heroic conduct on the part of the young lady, from whom they did not in the least expect any such active resistance to their proceedings.
Lupin was constitutionally, by far the greater coward of the two, and when he saw the bright barrel of the pistol in such startling and unexpected contiguity to his head, he at once stepped back, and missing his footing, fell down the stairs to the landing-place immediately below that flight.