"There comes the planter!" shouted some one in the hall above. "Hang him!" yelled another. "Down-stairs all together!" cried the first speaker, who was perhaps the leader of the ruffians. He was the first to appear at the landing. Several voices repeated the cry to hang the colonel. At that moment a shot was heard, and the first ruffian came tumbling down the steps. The next instant the one behind him shared his fate, and both of them lay motionless at the foot of the stairs. A moment later Deck rushed in through the open door, followed by the three riflemen. CHAPTER XXIX A NEW METHOD OF OPERATIONS The fall of the two ruffians evidently created a panic among the robbers, for they all retreated from the head of the staircase. They could not see the person who had fired the shots. Fronklyn had used the heavy revolver of the trooper, reserving his carbine for more difficult practice. There was a pause, for no more victims were in sight. "You are in a dangerous position, Lieutenant Lyon," said the sergeant, as soon as Deck rushed into the hall. "Where are you, Sergeant?" asked the officer, as he retired from his exposed situation. "Behind the safe," replied Fronklyn. "Ask one of the planter's sons if there are any other stairs from above." "Another staircase at the rear of the hall," answered Warren. "Go there quick!" said Deck, as soon as he had mastered the situation. "If any one attempts to come down, shoot him on the instant! But let them surrender if they will do so." "Surrender!" exclaimed Harlan in disgust. "I don't feel exactly like letting one of the men that want to hang my father surrender." "Let them surrender!" replied Deck very decidedly. "From my position I could manage the whole of them," interposed the sergeant. "You are in a safe place to do so," added the lieutenant. "Some of the party ought to look out for the outside of the house, or the ruffians will escape from the windows," suggested the sergeant. "Colonel Hickman is out-doors, with his negroes, to keep watch of the windows," answered Deck. "You have begun the fight here on the plan we adopted at Mr. Halliburn's." "I was thinking of fighting it out alone when one of the ruffians up-stairs shouted that Colonel Hickman was coming; and the cry was to hang him. They started to come down, and I dropped two of them; the others ran away. I can dispose of them as fast as they show themselves," Fronklyn explained. "Give them a chance to surrender before you kill them, Sergeant." At that moment a shot was heard from the rear end of the hall, and the lieutenant hastened to ascertain the occasion of it. One of the ruffians had attempted to come down the back stairs, and Warren had put a rifle-ball through his head. There were only seven of the marauders left in the house, and the two parties were equalized. "Up-stairs!" hailed Deck, when the third ruffian had fallen. "What's wanted?" shouted some one who was prudent enough to keep out of sight.