Now, keeping well away in the dark, yet nearer than was necessary to my own dear Lorna’s room, I saw these fellows try the door of the good Earl Brandir, knowing from the maid, of course, that his lordship could hear nothing, except the name of Alan.  They tried the lock, and pushed at it, and even set their knees upright; but a Scottish nobleman may be trusted to secure his door at night.  So they were forced to break it open; and at this the guilty maid, or woman, ran away.  These three rogues—­for rogues they were, and no charity may deny it—­burst into Earl Brandir’s room, with a light, and a crowbar, and fire-arms.  I thought to myself that this was hard upon an honest nobleman; and if further mischief could be saved, I would try to save it.

When I came to the door of the room, being myself in shadow, I beheld two bad men trying vainly to break open the pewter box, and the third with a pistol-muzzle laid to the night-cap of his lordship.  With foul face and yet fouler words, this man was demanding the key of the box, which the other men could by no means open, neither drag it from the chain.

[Illustration:  639.jpg Two bad men]

“I tell you,” said this aged Earl, beginning to understand at last what these rogues were up for; “I will give no key to you.  It all belongs to my boy, Alan.  No one else shall have a farthing.”

“Then you may count your moments, lord.  The key is in your old cramped hand.  One, two, and at three, I shoot you.”

I saw that the old man was abroad; not with fear, but with great wonder, and the regrets of deafness.  And I saw that rather would he be shot than let these men go rob his son, buried now, or laid to bleach in the tangles of the wood, three, or it might be four years agone, but still alive to his father.  Hereupon my heart was moved; and I resolved to interfere.  The thief with the pistol began to count, as I crossed the floor very quietly, while the old Earl fearfully gazed at the muzzle, but clenched still tighter his wrinkled hand.  The villain, with hair all over his eyes, and the great horse-pistol levelled, cried “three,” and pulled the trigger; but luckily, at that very moment, I struck up the barrel with my staff, so that the shot pierced the tester, and then with a spin and a thwack I brought the good holly down upon the rascal’s head, in a manner which stretched him upon the floor.

Meanwhile the other two robbers had taken the alarm, and rushed at me, one with a pistol and one with a hanger; which forced me to be very lively.  Fearing the pistol most, I flung the heavy velvet curtain of the bed across, that he might not see where to aim at me, and then stooping very quickly I caught up the senseless robber, and set him up for a shield and target; whereupon he was shot immediately, without having the pain of knowing it; and a happy thing it was for him.  Now the other two were at my mercy, being men below the average strength; and no hanger, except in most skilful hands, as well as firm and strong ones, has any chance to a powerful man armed with a stout cudgel, and thoroughly practised in single-stick.