But Stephen and Miss Anne did not move; only Miss Anne laid her hand upon his arm, and he felt how much she trembled.
'They're only trying to frighten us,' he said quietly; 'that's only the wood-stack on fire.

They think to frighten us to open the door, by making believe that the house is on fire.

Miss Anne, I'm praying to God all the while to send Martha in time.' 'So am I,' she answered, sobbing; 'but oh, Stephen, I am frightened.' 'Miss Anne,' he said, in a comforting tone, 'that chapter about faith you've been teaching me, it says something about quenching fire.' '"Quenched the violence of fire,"' she murmured; '"out of weakness were made strong."' She hid her face for a minute or two in both her hands; and then she was strong enough to go to the servant's room, where the terrified girl was still calling for help.

The wild shouts and the deafening clamour at the door rang through the house; but the blaze was gone down again; and when Stephen threw open the window just over the heads of the group of men in the yard below, there was not light enough for him to distinguish their faces.
'I'm here,' he said,--'Stephen Fern.

I found out what you are up to, and Martha's gone to Longville for help.