He did not know how long he had been asleep, when, all at once, he awoke suddenly. The moonlight was streaming into the room, and by the help of it he saw a villainous-looking face jammed against the pane of the window overlooking the shed.
“A burglar!” thought he, and sprang from the bed.
CHAPTER XIV.
ANDY IS BESIEGED.
My readers will admit that to awaken from sleep, and see a man looking in at the window, is sufficient to startle a brave man. When it is added that the face bore the unmistakable mark of bad passions and a lawless life, it will be understood that Andy might well have been excused for momentary terror.
He was, however, partly prepared for the visit by the knowledge that there was money in the house, which he was especially commissioned to guard. Still, he had not really supposed there was any danger of a burglar coming to so quiet a village as Hamilton in pursuit of money.
Besides, no one but himself, so he supposed, knew that the maiden ladies had a large sum of money in their dwelling.
I will not deny that Andy was startled—I will not admit that he was frightened, for this is inconsistent with his conduct.
He certainly had not awakened any too soon. There was not a minute to lose. The burglar was trying to raise the window, preparatory to entering the room.
In this, however, he met with a difficulty. The window was fastened at the middle, and he could not raise it.