“Madam,” said James Harmer approaching, and forcing his presence upon the notice of the mistress of the house, “there is little time to lose if you would save yourself or your goods.  We have come to give such assistance as lies in our power.  Will you give me your authority to bear away hence all such things as may be most readily transported and are of most value?  When we have saved these, belike you will have looked your fill on the fire.  And, at least, you can see it as well from any other place in the neighbourhood without this risk.  May we commence our task of rescue?”

“Oh yes, my good fellow, take what you will.  Dorcas will show you what is of greatest value.  Lade yourselves with spoil, and make yourselves rich for life.  I drove forth the hired varlets who would fain have robbed me ere they left; but take what you will, and my blessing with it.  Your daughter deserves a dowry at my hands.  Take all you can lay hands upon; I shall want it no more.  Ha!  I must to the roof!  I must to the roof!  Why, if it only lasts till nightfall, what a sight it will be!  Right glad am I that I have lived to see this day.”

Without particularly heeding the words of the strange old woman, father and son, directed by Dorcas, set about rapidly to collect and transport to the boat the large quantities of silver plate and other valuables which, during her long life, Lady Scrope had collected about her.  The rich furniture had, perforce, to be left behind, save a small piece here and there of exceptional value; but there were jewels, and golden trinkets, and strangely-carved ivories set with gems, and all manner of costly trophies from the distant lands whither vessels now went and returned laden with all manner of wonders.  The Harmers were amazed at the vast amount of treasure hoarded up in that small house, and wondered that Lady Scrope had not many times had her life attempted by the servants, who must have known something of the contents of cabinet and chest.

But her reputation as a witch had been a great safeguard, and her own intrepid spirit had done even more to hold robbers at bay.  All who knew her were fully aware that she was quite capable of shooting down any person found in the act of robbing her, and that she always kept loaded pistols in her room in readiness.  There was a story whispered about, of her having locked up in one of her rooms a servant whom she had caught pilfering, and it was said that she had starved him to death amid the plunder he had gathered, and had afterwards had his body flung without burial into the river.  Whether there was more than rumour in such a gruesome tale none could now say, but it had long become an acknowledged axiom that Lady Scrope’s goods had better be let alone.

Twice had the boat been laden and returned, for all concerned worked with a will, and now all had been removed from the house which it was possible to take on such short notice and in such a fashion.  The fire was surging furiously across the road, and in more than one place it had leaped the street, and the other side, the south side, was now burning as fiercely as the northern.  Dorcas had been dispatched to call down Lady Scrope, for her father reckoned that in ten minutes more the house would be actually engulfed in the oncoming mass of flames.  And now the girl hurried up to them, her face blanched with terror.