As the door opened they turned round and, on seeing a solitary officer, sprang forward with terrible oaths.
Fergus shot one of them as they did so, dropped the pistol, and seized his sword.

Both men fired.

Fergus felt a stinging sensation in his left arm, and the pistol held in that hand dropped to the ground.
Confident in his swordsmanship, he awaited the onslaught of the two marauders.

The swords clashed, and at the second pass one of them fell back, run through the body.

The other, shouting for aid, stood on the defensive.