The
third man, the butler, came back to the window, put his hand through,
undid the catch, and flung the sash wide. John caught up the poker from
the floor, and darted to it.
"Set foot within the window, Parker," he cried, "and I will break your
head."
The man did not believe he would hurt him, and put foot and head through
the window.
Now John had honestly threatened, but to perform he found harder than he
had thought: it is one thing to raise a poker, and another to strike a
head with it. The window was narrow, and the whole man was not yet in the
room, when John raised his weapon; but he could not bring the horrid
poker down upon the dumb blind back of the stooping man's head. He threw
it from him, and casting his eyes about, spied a huge family-bible on a
side-table. He sprang to it, and caught it up--just in time. The man had
got one foot firm on the floor, and was slowly drawing in the other, when
down came the bible on his head, with all the force John could add to its
weight. The butler tumbled senseless on the floor.
"Here, Orbie!" cried John; "help me to bundle him out before he comes to
himself--Take what you would have!" he said, as between us we shoved him
out on the gravel.
I fetched smelling-salts and brandy, and everything I could think
of--fetched Martha too, and between us we got her on the sofa, but lady
Cairnedge lay motionless.
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