It was neither large nor heavy; he
held it out to Devilsdust without saying a word, and Morley
descending the steps sate down for a moment on a pile of deeds
and folded his arms.
At this juncture the discharge of musketry was heard.
"Hilloa!" said Devilsdust with a queer expression. Morley
started from his seat. Dandy Mick rushed into the room.
"Troops, troops! there are troops here!" he exclaimed.
"Let us descend," said Morley. "In the confusion we may
escape. I will take the box," and they left the muniment
room.
One of their party whom Mick had sent forward to reconnoitre
fell back upon them. "They are not troops," he said; "they
are yeomanry; they are firing away and cutting every one down.
They have cleared the ground floor of the castle and are in
complete possession below. We cannot escape this way."
"Those accursed locks!" said Morley clenching the box. "Time
has beat us. Let us see, let us see." He ran back into the
mumment room and examined the egress from the window. It was
just possible for any one very lithe and nimble to vault upon
the roof of the less elevated part of the castle. Revolving
this, another scout rushed in and said, "Comrades, they are
here! they are ascending the stairs.
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