Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/175

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PREVENTED BY A LADY.
159

assured I shall take good care that one or two of you shall not go out again alive." The house dog seconded its mistress, with all its sagacity, and seemed to say with her, "come along scoundrels;" while the two affrighted servants did all in their power to infuse that fear, which alone belongs to the base born, and the guilty. They now abandoned the attack on the door.

A very few minutes elapsed when the dog showed symptoms of the enemy being again at work; they had piled up loose bricks which lay about, and ascended to the top of the parlour window. This point Mrs. W—— thought they would penetrate, for they were visible from the upper part, or aperture; she therefore took her station at a distant part of the room, that the shot might spread, so as to hit the whole of the party that might present themselves on the shutter giving way, which was every moment expected. She called to them again, let go the spring sword of the blunderbuss, and hitting the window with it, gave them the same assurances, as before; then retreated, and took a glass of wine! within their view, as is apprehended. This was too much for their stomachs, and they retreated for the present.

Hours elapsed before a third endeavour was