a semicircle, then they advanced, closing in as they neared the
house. When they reached the spot where they could be seen by the
peasants a trumpet sounded and they ran in. The peasants, bewildered
at seeing the line of soldiers closing in around them, hesitated.
Some were already too drunk to rise from the ground on which they
had thrown themselves, the others caught up their arms and ran
together. Retreat was impossible, for behind them was the burning
house. Suddenly a stream of fire burst from the semicircle of
troops. Some thirty of the insurgents fell, the others threw down
their arms and fell upon their knees crying for mercy. The troops
were rushing forward to finish their work, when Hector shouted
"Halt!"

"De Mieville," he said, as the officer rode up towards the tower,
"do not shed more blood. Thirty at least have fallen in their
attack on this turret, besides those who have been killed by your
fire. Take the rest, disarm them all, let the men cut some stout
switches and give every man twenty blows well laid on the back,
and then let them go. Before you do so, send a dozen of them to
clear the staircase and to draw some buckets of water from the
well and sluice the steps down. Paolo, do you run down and find a
vessel of some sort and a goblet or horn, and bring up some wine
from one of those barrels. The ladies sorely need something after
what they have gone through, and I myself shall be all the better
for it, for the loss of blood has given me a raging thirst."

Paolo had no difficulty in carrying out the order. The rioters had
brought out several pails for holding the wine, a score of silver
cups and other vessels lay where they had been dropped when the
soldiers appeared, and the officer had placed two men on guard