It meant exposure for our men, but they did not heed it, and in ten minutes the top of the building was crumbling about its occupants' ears, while a couple of cleverly sent shell completed their discomfiture, and they rapidly evacuated the place. It was only a temporary success, but it relieved us for the time, and enabled us to direct our attention to other dangers. The rest of that day is one horrible scene of confusion to me, as we worked on, burned by the sun, faint with the sickening smell of powder, and many falling beneath the rushing hail of bullets poured into the enclosure; but there was no sign of shrinking. The men had long before cast off their jackets, and worked on in shirt and trousers, always preserving their discipline, and trying their best to make their shot tell. Twice over I saw a figure on horseback appear directing the men--a figure I could not mistake, and man after man tried to bring him down, but he seemed to bear a charmed life. He was most prominent at an attempt to storm the place when, mad with fury, a column rushed forward bearing ladders and poles under one arm, whilst they waved their gleaming swords with the other. But as soon as we were certain of their approach, our light guns were slewed round, and such a condensed hail of grape was sent into them that when close up they reeled, wavered, and retreated again. Then, without cessation, the firing was resumed from every sheltered spot within range, and we waited for the night attack, one we were sure would come; and as we waited, the sun went down, the darkness began to approach rapidly, and there was not a man there, as he slowly ate his scraps of food, and drank the water brought round by the ladies, who did not feel that it would be our last night on earth. I was leaning against the wheel of the nearest gun, eating mechanically, and thinking that my father would be too late, for in the distance I could see sepoys gathering and marching forward as if for another assault, when a lady approached me with a cup and a vessel of water. "Will you drink, sir?" she said faintly. "Grace!" I exclaimed. "Oh, Gil, dear brother," she sobbed; "must we all be killed?" "No," I cried passionately; "there are too many brave fellows here. And cheer up; father must be close at hand. There, give me some water. How is poor Captain Brace?" "Don't ask me," she said, in a faint whisper. "I never thought to meet the brave friend you wrote of like this." I had just drunk the water, and was handing back the cup, when Sergeant Craig, who was at the other gun, shouted-- "Look out! They're stealing up in the dark."