The Man and His Kingdom by E. Phillips Oppenheim

The days which followed were the hardest which the dwellers in Beau Desir had ever known. Of leisure they had none. When darkness came and labour out of doors was impossible, a very brief rest now took the place of those long dreamy evenings of song and love-making, which to Ternissa had seemed so idyllic. Marie grew pale, and a wistful light shone in Pietro's dark eyes. His guitar hung idle upon the shelf. The hours which had been so sweet to both of them were spent now by Pietro with a cartridge-belt around his waist and a rifle over his shoulder. Dene was not slow to recognise the fact that his position might at any moment become a dangerous one. Rimarez was a virulent enemy; if he carried out his threat and attempted to take Ternissa by force, Dene's resistance would become an act of open rebellion against the State. At any rate, if there was to be fighting, Dene made up his mind to provide a little surprise for his assailants. The cases of rifles were unpacked and ammunition served out; every night till the moon rose Dene drilled his men on part of the stubbly plain which had so lately been a sea of gold.

There were one or two old soldiers amongst them who entered eagerly into the spirit of the thing, and made excellent Serjeants. The men themselves, tired though they were with their day's labour, did their best, and their best was good. A week passed, and there were no signs of molestation.