Above the level of marsh and water appeared a thin line of silver. It thickened, rounded, became a glorious orb. The marshes blanched from black to gray, and across the water, from the dim land to the great silver globe, stretched a long, bright, shimmering path. A knot of women appeared in the doorway, laden with powder-flasks and platters filled with bullets. One, with only a stick wound with faded flowers in her hand, left them and glided to the open window. "Margery!" said Patricia softly. The mad woman, pressing in front of her mistress, looked out into the night and saw the white shining road cutting through the darkness and stretching endlessly away. She threw up her arms with a cry of rapture. "The road to Paradise! the road to Paradise!" An arrow whistled through the window and struck into her bosom—into her heart—the staff dropped from her hand, and she swayed forward and fell at her mistress’s feet. The night, so placid, still and beautiful, was rent and in an instant made hideous by a sound so long, loud, and dreadful, that it might have been the shriek of a legion of exultant fiends. It rose to the stars, sunk to the earth and rose again, unearthly, menacing, curdling the blood and turning the heart to stone. "The war-whoop," said Woodson. "Close the window, quick." *CHAPTER XXVI* *NIGHT* That terrible cadence preluded pandemonium, the hush of horror that followed it being broken by one deep and awful roar of voices as the insurgents, red, white, and black, joined forces and swept down upon the devoted house. "They will try the front first," quoth the master from his loophole. "Steady, men, until I give the word! Now, let them have it with a wannion!" The muskets cracked and a louder yell arose from without. "Two," said the master composedly, receiving a fresh musket from his daughter’s hand. "They will try to dash in the door, your Honor!" cried the overseer from his post of observation. "They have the trunk of a pine with them." "Let them come," said his master grimly. "They will find a warm welcome." A double line of savages raised the great trunk from the ground and advanced with it at a run, yelling as they came. They had reached the steps leading up into the porch when from the loopholed door and window within there poured a deadly fire. Three fell, but the battering-ram came on and struck against the door with tremendous force. The door held, and but twelve of the twenty who had entered the porch returned to their fellows. "They won’t try that again," said the master with a short laugh. "They are dividing," cried the overseer. "They will surround the house. Every man to his post!"