"They'll be caught! They'll be caught!" moaned Helen, wringing her hands. "Why don't they fire back?"
From the windows they had seen the wounding of Clell and the killing of his horse under him and believing that it was the beginning of the end, they buried their heads on each other's shoulders, unwilling to see the capture of their brother and heroes, and sobbed.
Yet as they waited for the shouts of triumph that would announce the fact, they were surprised to hear the shout:
"Get horses! Get horses! Ring the church bells! Summon every man in town! We'll surround the woods!"
Doubting their ears, they raised their heads and peered from the windows.
There lay the dead horse, but no sign could they see of Jesse and his chums.
"Thank goodness, they got away!" murmured Marjorie.
"Amen to that," exclaimed a voice behind them.
Startled by its nearness, the girls turned and beheld Lawyer Perkins, a merry twinkle in his eyes.
"I used to do his father's business when the Rev. James lived in these parts," he explained, in response to the looks of amazement on the fair young faces gazing at him. "If people had given Jesse and Frank a fair show after the war, they'd never have taken to their life of outlawry. And if they ever are caught, which I don't believe they will be, I hope I may be one of the men to defend them. I can tell a great many things that were done to hound them from home that would open peoples' eyes!