Fires were lighted along the ridge to deceive the enemy, and a
rearguard left to keep them burning.
The trembling household within the mansion slowly rallied as the
sounds of battle died away. As soon as the fury of the conflict and
storm decreased, Mr. Baron lighted a candle and they looked into one
another's white faces.
Miss Lou was the first to recover some intrepidity of spirit.
"Well," she said, "we are still alive, and these torrents are
evidently stopping the fighting as they would put out fire."
"Oh, Madison, Madison!" Mrs. Whately moaned, "are YOU living, or are
you dead? If you are dead it is little to me that I am spared."
Miss Lou did not give very much thought to her cousin. In
overpowering solicitude she asked herself, "Where is he whose eyes
looked such strange, sweet truth into mine to-day? Are they
unseeing, not because it is dark, but because the light of life is
quenched?"
The brunt of the storm soon passed and was followed by a drizzling
rain and the promise of a gloomy night.
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