Now the tumult grew greater, and the reports of the rifles more frequent. The noise was communicated to the house, and in the rooms and the hall below there were tramplings of feet, and hurryings to and fro, and the rattle of arms, and the voices of men, in the midst of which rose the stern command of Girasole. "Forward! Follow me!" Then the distant reports grew nearer and yet nearer, and all the men rushed from the house, and their tramp was heard outside as they hurried away to the scene of conflict. "It's an attack! The brigands are attacked!" cried Mrs. Willoughby. Dacres said nothing. He was collecting his scattered thoughts. "Oh, may Heaven grant that we may be saved! Oh, it is the troops--it must be! Oh, Sir, come, come; help us to escape! My darling sister is here. Save her!" "Your sister?" cried Dacres. "Oh yes; come, save her! My sister--my darling Minnie!" With these words Mrs. Willoughby rushed from the room. "Her sister! her sister!" repeated Dacres--"Minnie Fay! _Her_ sister! Good Lord! What a most infernal ass I've been making of myself this last month!" He stood still for a few moments, overwhelmed by this thought, and apparently endeavoring to realize the full extent and enormous size and immense proportions, together with the infinite extent of ear, appertaining to the ass to which he had transformed himself; but finally he shook his head despondingly, as though he gave it up altogether. Then he hurried after Mrs. Willoughby. Mrs. Willoughby rushed into Minnie's room, and clasped her sister in her arms with frantic tears and kisses. "Oh, my precious darling!" she exclaimed. "Oh dear!" said Minnie, "isn't this really too bad? I was _so_ tired, you know, and I was just beginning to go to sleep, when those horrid men began firing their guns. I really do think that every body is banded together to tease me. I do _wish_ they'd all go away and let me have a little peace. I am so tired and sleepy!" While Minnie was saying this her sister was embracing her and kissing her and crying over her. "Oh, come, Minnie, come!" she cried; "make haste. We must fly!" "Where to?" said Minnie, wonderingly. "Any where--any where out of this awful place: into the woods." "Why, I don't see the use of going into the woods. It's all wet, you know. Can't we get a carriage?" "Oh no, no; we must not wait. They'll all be back soon and kill us." "Kill us! What for?" cried Minnie. "What do you mean? How silly you are, Kitty darling!" At this moment Dacres entered. The image of the immeasurable ass was still very prominent in his mind, and he had lost all his fever and delirium. One thought only remained (besides that of the ass, of course), and that was--escape. "Are you ready?" he asked, hurriedly. "Oh yes, yes; let us make haste," said Mrs. Willoughby.