The assailants now thought only of escape, but their position was a
desperate one. Some rushed to the end of the terrace, and tried to
climb the ropes by which they had slid down from the upper roof of the
house. Others endeavoured to rush down the staircase; but Tim, with
one of the sentries, guarded this point, until a rush of feet below
told that the guard were coming to their assistance.
It was well that help was at hand, for the conspirators, desperate at
finding themselves in a trap, gathering themselves together, rushed
with the fury of wild beasts upon Tim and the sentry. One was impaled
upon a bayonet, another cut down by Tim, and then, borne back by the
weight of their opponents, they were hurled backwards down the stairs.
As the assailants followed them with a rush, the guard sprang through
the open window, from the terrace below, into the room.
There was a short and desperate conflict. Then two of the conspirators
bounded up the staircase on to the roof, ran to the parapet and leaped
over into the valley, two hundred feet below. They were the last of
the eighteen men who had lowered themselves, from the roof above, to
attack Charlie.
As soon as Tim picked himself up, he hastened to ascend the stairs
again, and to run to the side of his master.
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