Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/364

 344 This might account for the display of force with which they invested the church before demanding admission. No doubt the heavy log walls looked formidable, and mysterious in the moonlight. But, if they really suspected a garrison within, why should their line be thus extended, within easy musket shot of the windows? The conclusion I arrived at was, that Fox made this open display of force in the hope of avoiding bloodshed. He desired to capture instead of kill, and wished above all else to protect Noreen from danger. If we were alone within the church, escape was clearly impossible, and the probability strong that no resistance would be attempted.

The silence, the long wait, got upon my nerves. I could see little, and the few sounds reaching my ears conveyed no information of value. What were those fellows doing? What could cause their delay? The soldier behind me was humming softly; a foot scraped on the floor to the right; I caught the soft swish of Noreen's skirt as she changed position; the moonbeams glimmered on a lifted rifle-barrel; there was all about a suppressed sound of breathing. Good Lord! would they never move! What could they possibly be doing out there?

A half dozen blows rang sharp on the wood of the outer door. Not a sound answered from within, although I could feel the men straighten up, and sense