Launce was armed with nothing but his stick.  He advanced, without an instant’s hesitation, to give himself up.  Natalie threw her arms round him and clasped him fast before he could reach the door.

“Two!” cried the voice outside, as Launce struggled to force her from him.  At the same moment his eye turned toward the bed.  It was exactly opposite the door—­it was straight in the line of fire!  Sir Joseph’ s life (as Turlington had deliberately calculated) was actually in greater danger than Launce’s life.  He tore himself free, rushed to the bed, and took the old man in his arms to lift him out.

“Three!”

The crash of the report sounded.  The bullet came through the door, grazed Launce’s left arm, and buried itself in the pillow, at the very place on which Sir Joseph’s head had rested the moment before.  Launce had saved his father-in-law’s life.  Turlington had fired his first shot for the money, and had not got it yet.

They were safe in the corner of the room, on the same side as the door—­Sir Joseph, helpless as a child, in Launce’s arms; the women pale, but admirably calm.  They were safe for the moment, when the second bullet (fired at an angle) tore its way through the wall on their right hand.

“I hear you,” cried the voice of the miscreant on the other side of the door.  “I’ll have you yet—­through the wall.”

There was a pause.  They heard his hand sounding the wall, to find out where there was solid wood in the material of which it was built, and where there was plaster only.  At that dreadful moment Launce’s composure never left him.  He laid Sir Joseph softly on the floor, and signed to Natalie and her aunt to lie down by him in silence.  Their lives depended now on neither their voices nor their movements telling the murderer where to fire.  He chose his place.  The barrel of the revolver grated as he laid it against the wall.  He touched the hair trigger.  A faint click was the only sound that followed.  The third barrel had missed fire.

They heard him ask himself, with an oath, “What’s wrong with it now?”

There was a pause of silence.

Was he examining the weapon?

Before they could ask themselves the question, the report of the exploding charge burst on their ears.  It was instantly followed by a heavy fall.  They looked at the opposite wall of the room.  No sign of a bullet there or anywhere.

Launce signed to them not to move yet.  They waited, and listened. 
Nothing stirred on the landing outside.

Suddenly there was a disturbance of the silence in the lower regions—­a clamor of many voices at the open house door.  Had the firing of the revolver been heard at the vicarage?  Yes!  They recognized the vicar’s voice among the others.  A moment more, and they heard a general exclamation of horror on the stairs.  Launce opened the door of the room.  He instantly closed it again before Natalie could follow him.