“It is!” answered both girls in a breath.

They looked back at the house, so close behind them that it was hard to feel afraid.  The door stood ajar, and faces peered out into the darkness; but Mistress Dowsabel’s shrill voice was still heard within, and she was plainly hindering any of the servants from going forth to the assistance of the brave girls without, terrified almost out of her wits at what might occur.

The high wall hid the road from the three who stood beside the gate, but the gasping breath of the horses could now be heard, whilst the fierce cries of pursuit had changed to an ominous silence, as though not even a breath was to be wasted—­every nerve being strained to the effort of the chase.

It was terrible to be able to see nothing.  Petronella suddenly made a rush towards the wall, and finding foothold here and there in the chinks of the brick work, contrived to swing upwards her light frame till she could look over the top.

“There be three pursued,” she cried to those below; “and methinks the hindermost is wounded, he sways so terribly in the saddle.  The pursuers are close behind; it seems well nigh as if they must come up with them.

“Oh, well done, good horses; oh, well done!

“Kate, they be close at hand; they are making for the gate as a dove to its nest!”

Then Kate suddenly threw both doors wide and stood out in the dim moonlight.

“Fling yourselves from your horses, gentlemen, and come in!” she cried, in clear, penetrating tones.  “There is shelter behind these walls.  And the first man who dares to follow I shoot dead!”

Then as the foremost horseman obeyed her, flinging himself from the saddle, and staggering rather than walking within the gates, at either one of which stood one of the two girlish guardians, ready at a moment’s notice to fling them together again, a quick sharp cry broke from Kate’s lips, together with the one word: 

“Father!”

The second horseman was now within the gates; the third was close behind.  But there was a yell as of triumph, and suddenly Kate’s eyes flashed fire.  There was the sharp report of a gun.  The girl flung the smoking weapon in the face of a second assailant, and dragged within the gate the prostrate form of the third traveller.  Cherry and Petronella banged to the iron portals in the very faces of the foremost assailants, who had recoiled for a moment before Kate’s blows, and drew the heavy bolts; whilst the shower of oaths and curses which arose from the rest of the band, who rode up at that moment, showed how fully they recognized their defeat.

Even the horses had escaped them; for the sagacious animals had recognized their locality, and had made for the yard door at the back, where Joshua had admitted them without delay, glad enough to do anything to assist the hardly-beset travellers in their hour of need.