"Domn'd if Oi know; Oi wasn't seein' out thar--the sergeant told me."
I could not leave Billie down there alone, nor the door open. Whoever the crazed assassin was, he must still remain somewhere in the cellar, watching for an opportunity to escape. But I was needed above to direct the defence. It seemed to me I thought of a thousand things in an instant,--of my desire to clear up the mystery, of my orders to hold the house, of Willifred Hardy's danger,--and I had but the one instant in which to decide. The next I made my choice, at least until I could discover the exact situation for myself.
"Come," I said soberly.
I closed the door, and faced the trooper.
"You remain here with the lady. Don't leave her for a moment except as I order. Keep your revolver drawn, and your eyes on that door. Do you understand?"
"Oi do, sorr."
"She will explain what you are to guard against. I'll be back to you in a moment, Billie."
I caught one glimpse out through the south windows as I passed the door of the dining-room--moving troops covered the distance, half concealed under clouds of smoke, but none were facing toward us. On the floor, behind the barricades, a dozen of my men were peering out along the brown carbine barrels, eager and expectant, cartridges piled beside them on the floor. At the front door I encountered Mahoney, so excited he could hardly talk.
"What is it?" I questioned swiftly. "An attack in front?"
"It's the big guns, sorr; be gorry, they're goin' to shell us out, an' whar the hell was them reinforcemints, Oi'd loike to know!"