THE STEADFAST HEART
off the lantern, where, chimney broken, it gasped and expired, leaving the room in utter blackness…. Again she slunk to her corner.
Angus was aware that those without had circled the house. There were several of them, all silent now. The boy leaned forward, as though striving to pierce the walls with his eyes, but made no sound…. He was terrified beyond sound.
A heavy foot fell on the one unsteady step before the door and a rude hammering made the door tremble in its untrustworthy hinges…. It was exactly as his mother said it would be. The robbers were demanding admission, rapping with the pommel of a great knife. The rapping was repeated imperatively.
“Open the door,” roared a horrid voice. To Angus it was savage, bloodthirsty. There was a brief pause, then another thunderous knock and a second summons to open. Mrs. Burke screamed once and then became silent.
“I hear you inside there,” shouted the voice. “Open up before I bust in the door….”
Mrs. Burke turned her eyes toward her son in the blackness; her face was distorted, inhuman, her eyes glittered with the light of insanity. “Shoot!” she hissed. “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!”
Angus pressed the butt of the rifle against his
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