The
voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven; the lightnings lightened the
world, the earth trembled and shook."
But another sound startled her. Surely she heard some stealthy step on the
veranda upon which the windows of the room opened (long windows reaching
from the floor almost to the ceiling), and then a hand at work with the
fastenings of the shutters of the one farthest from the bed.
Her husband lay sleeping by her side. She half raised herself in the bed,
put her lips to his ear, and shaking him slightly, whispered, "Edward,
some one is trying to get in at the window!"
He was wide-awake in an instant, raised himself and while listening
intently took a loaded revolver from under his pillow and cocked it ready
for use.
"Lie down, darling," he whispered; "it will be safer, and should the
villain get in, this will soon settle him, I think."
"Don't kill him, if you can save yourself without," she answered, in the
same low tone and with a shudder.
"No; if I could see, I should aim for his right arm."
A moment of silent waiting, the slight sound of the burglar's tool faintly
heard amid the noise of the storm, then the shutter flew open, a man
stepped in; at that instant a vivid flash of lightning showed the three to
each other, and the men fired simultaneously.
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