’Let them see me, the blackguards!  They’re so tight packed they haven’t a band among them to aim anything.’

As he spoke, he again leaned forward from the window-sill, and stretched his arms towards the approaching rescuers.  That same instant a heavy fragment of stone, hurled with deadly force and precision, struck him upon the temple.  The violence of the blow flung him back into the room; he dropped to his knees, threw out a hand as if to save himself, then sank face foremost upon the floor.  Not a sound had escaped his lips.

Emma, with a low cry of horror, bent to him and put her arm about his body.  Raising his head, she saw that, though his eyes were staring, they had no power of sight; on his lips were flecks of blood.  She laid her cheeks to his lips, but could discern no breath; she tore apart the clothing from his breast, but her hand could not find his heart.  Then she rushed for a pillow, placed it beneath his head, and began to bathe his face.  Not all the great love which leaped like flame in her bosom could call the dead to life.

The yells which had greeted Mutimer’s appearance at the window were followed by a steady roar, mingled with scornful laughter at his speedy retreat; only a few saw or suspected that he had been gravely hit by the missile.  Then the tumult began to change its character; attention was drawn from the house to the advancing police, behind whom came a band of Mutimer’s adherents, led by Redgrave.  The latter were cheering; the hostile rabble met their cheers with defiant challenges.  The police had now almost more than they could do to prevent a furious collision between the two bodies; but their numbers kept increasing, as detachments arrived one after another, and at length the house itself was firmly guarded, whilst the rioters on both sides were being put to flight.  It was not a long street; the police cleared it completely and allowed no one to enter at either end.

It was all but dark when at length the door of Emma’s room was opened and six or seven women appeared, searching for Mutimer.  The landlady was foremost; she carried a lamp.  It showed the dead man at full length on the floor, and Emma kneeling beside him, holding his hand.  Near her were the two children, crying miserably.  Emma appeared to have lost her voice; when the light flashed upon her eyes she covered them with one hand, with the other pointed downwards.  The women broke into cries of fright and lamentation.  They clustered around the prostrate form, examined it, demanded explanations.  One at length sped down to the street and shortly returned with two policemen.  A messenger was despatched for a doctor.

Emma did not move; she was not weeping, but paid no attention to any words addressed to her.  The room was thronged with curious neighbours, there was a hubbub of talk.  When at length the medical man arrived, he cleared the chamber of all except Emma.  After a brief examination of the body he said to her: