that you have cause for enmity against me and mine, for I have done all in my power to mitigate the sufferings of my people, and the proof is that not one of them has joined you.  The taxes that press so heavily upon you are not the work of your feudal lords, they are caused by the necessity for defending France against the assaults of foreign enemies, and were every noble in the land slain it would still be necessary that these taxes should be collected, unless France is to be overrun by the Spaniards and Austrians.  I would fain abstain from spilling one drop of your blood, but I must defend myself if you attack me, and I warn you that, numerous as you are, you will not succeed in capturing my castle.  I am a soldier of France, and as I have shed my blood in defending her against her enemies, so if you persist I shall not hesitate in shedding yours in my own defence.  I implore you to disperse to your homes; even if you gain successes for a time, it would but draw down vengeance upon you.”

The assailants had paused when he commenced to speak, and those in front had listened to his words, but those behind, not knowing what was going on, continued to shout and to press up the hill.  As he finished speaking there was a yell of defiance, and the column rushed forward.

“Aim low,” Hector shouted as he leapt down among his men, “fire!” Eight muskets flashed out.  “Second line, fire!  Now handle your pikes, the rear lines will reserve their fire.”

Although ten or twelve of the leading rank of the insurgents had fallen, there was no pause among the others, and they rushed forward to the hedge of pikes.

“Take charge here, MacIntosh; I will run and get the stones at work.”  In half a minute he stood by the side of the tenants.

“Heave then down!” he said.  He had chosen a spot where the rock rose perpendicularly above the road.  “Drop them over,” he said, “so that they may fall straight.  The biggest you must roll over with your levers, but work them to the edge and let them topple over; don’t thrust them out or they will bound over the road.  Now!”

Twenty rocks were dropped down together.  Even above the din of shouting the crash as they fell below was heard, followed instantly by yells and cries.

“Move farther on and give them another shower,” Hector said; and again the rocks fell on the crowded causeway.  The first volley had caused a pause —­ numbers had been crushed, many of the stones as they rolled down the road had carried confusion to those below; the second volley completed their discomfiture.  Appalled by a discharge against which they had no shelter and which was wholly unexpected, those near whom the stones had fallen turned, and in their panic swept those below them on the road down into the valley, many being overthrown and trampled to death.  Ignorant of what was going on behind them, the crowd above the spot where the stones had fallen were still pressing upward, those in front hewing with their scythes and axes at the pikeheads.