“Kate, I forbid it—­I forbid it!” she gasped.  “The gates shall not be unlocked!  Dost hear, child?  They shall not be unlocked!  We shall have the whole horde upon us, we poor unprotected women!  Kate, come back, come back!  The keys are mine; I am mistress here!  It shall not be done!  Girl, I will not be thus defied!”

But Kate was already half through the hall, where the terrified servants were mustering.  She had seized up the matchlocks, and now thrust one of them into old Thomas’s shaking hands.

“Take it!” she said, “and when I am gone lock and bolt the door behind me an your lady desires it.  But I will not disobey my Lady Humbert, and she would have done as I do now.  I go to the gate and I hold it open.  I draw within its shelter the pursued, and I strive to close it against the pursuers.  All within these walls will be safe.

“Thy place is here, Thomas, beside thy mistress.  She will die with terror if thou leave her.  I am strong enough to unbar the gates alone, and I have this weapon, which I know how to use.

“Hark! there be cries along the road.  The pursuit draws nigh.”

Kate flung open the great door and sprang out into the dusky darkness beyond, and Petronella and Cherry, casting one glance at each other, caught up a gleaming weapon from the wall, where many hung, and dashed out after her.

“Shut and lock the door behind us, an you fear for yourselves!” cried Kate, as she led the way down the short flight of steps.

“Girls!” she cried, turning her flushed and resolute face upon her companions, “we three will stand together for weal or woe this night.  It may be that we shall save life.  We can but lose our own, come what may.  Are you ready to face the peril? for these gates must be unbarred.”

“We are ready,” answered both, as they stood beside her holding her weapon, whilst her strong young hands turned the ponderous key in the lock and slipped back the heavy bolts.

All this while the thundering thud of galloping horse hoofs was approaching nearer and nearer, mingling with the fierce vindictive shouts of the pursuers, that sent thrills of terror through the hearts of two of the girls, but made Kate set her teeth together, and braced her nerves and muscles till they felt as if turned to steel.

“Girls,” she said, “listen!  I open this gate—­so, and stand here with my weapon.  As the pursued make for this house, as they most surely will, I shout to them as they near it to fling themselves from their horses and rush in.  If they understand, they will do so; but there may be delay.  If the pursuers are close at hand, I shall fire at the foremost, and methinks I shall not miss.  My hands will be thus occupied.  It must be your task to swing to and shut the gate behind the pursued.  If any assailant strive to follow, strike him down without mercy.  Methinks a woman’s arm can deal a hard blow!  I trow mine could.  But, above all, be it your task to guard the gate.  Is it understood?”