"Cousin Martha! Betsy!" he cried; "he's goin' to shoot Gilbert!"

"None o' your tricks, boy!" Betsy Lavender exclaimed, in her most savage
tone, as she saw the paleness of Martha's face. "I'm up to 'em. Who'd
shoot Gilbert Potter? Not Alf Barton, I'll be bound; he'd be afeard to
shoot even Sandy Flash!"

"It's Sandy Flash,--he's there! Gilbert shot his hat off!" cried Jake.

"The Lord have mercy!" And the next minute Miss Betsy found herself, she
scarcely knew how, in the road.

Both had heard the shot, but supposed that it was some volunteer
discharging an old load from his musket; they knew nothing of Sandy's
visit to the Unicorn, and Jake's announcement seemed simply incredible.

"O you wicked boy! What'll become o' you?" cried Miss Lavender, as she
beheld Gilbert Potter approaching, leading Roger by the bridle. But at
the same instant she saw, from the faces of the crowd, that something
unusual had happened. While the others instantly surrounded Gilbert, the
young volunteer who alone had made any show of fight, told the story to
the two ladies. Martha Deane's momentary shock of terror disappeared
under the rush of mingled pride and scorn which the narrative called up
in her heart.

"What a pack of cowards!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing,--"to stand
still and see the life of the only man that dares to face a robber at
the mercy of the robber's pistol!"