On reaching his home he followed his groom to the stable, and said, quietly:  “You are an old family servant, but you must now give me positive assurance that I can trust you.  There is a riot in the city, and there is no telling what house will be safe.  Will you mount guard night and day in my absence?”

“Faix, sur, I will.  Oi’ll sarve ye as I did yer fayther afore ye.”

“I believe you, but would shoot you if treacherous.  You know I’ve been expecting this trouble.  Keep the horse saddled.  Bar and bolt everything.  I shall be in and out at all hours, but will enter by the little side-door in the stable.  Watch for my signal, and be ready to open to me only any door, and bolt it instantly after me.  Leave all the weapons about the house just where I have put them.  If any one asks for me, say I’m out and you don’t know when I’ll be back.  Learn to recognize my voice and signal, no matter how disguised I am.”

The faithful old servant promised everything, and was soon executing orders.  Before their neighbors had taken the alarm, the heavy shutters were closed, and the unusual precautions that in the family’s absence had been adopted rendered access possible only to great violence.  On reaching his room Merwyn thought for a few moments.  He was intensely excited, and there was a gleam of wild hope in his eyes, but he felt with proud exultation that in his manner he was imitating his father.  Not a motion was hasty or useless.  Right or wrong, in the solitude of his room or in the midst of the mob, his brain should direct his hand.

“And now my hand is free!” he exclaimed, aloud; “my oath cannot shackle it now.”

His first conclusion was to mingle with the mob and learn the nature and objects of the enemy.  He believed the information would be valuable to Mr. Vosburgh and the police authorities.  Having accomplished this purpose he would join any organized resistance he could find, at the same time always seeking to shield Marian from the possibility of danger.

He had already been shown that in order to understand the character and aims of the mob he must appear to be one of them, and he decided that he could carry off the disguise of a young city mechanic better than any other.

This plan he carried out by donning from his own wardrobe a plain dark flannel suit, which, when it had been rolled in dust and oil, and received a judicious rip here and there, presented the appearance of a costume of a workman just from his shop.  With further injunctions to Thomas and the old serving-woman, he made his way rapidly to the north-east, where the smoke of a conflagration proved that the spirit of mischief was increasing.

One would not have guessed, as he hurried up Third Avenue, that he was well armed, but there were two small, yet effective revolvers and a dirk upon his person.  As has been related before, he had practised for this emergency, and could be as quick as a flash with his weapon.