ph, 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.

The travellers had sunk down just within the gates, so breathless
and exhausted that for the first few seconds they did not even know
how and by whom their rescue had been effected. But the banging to
of the gates, and the sullen murmurs of the highwaymen as they had
drawn off, recognizing their defeat, showed those within that for
the moment the peril was past. The doors were then thrown open;
lights streamed forth into the darkness. Sir Richard Trevlyn rose
to his feet, passing his hand across his brow, to find his son
passionately embracing the dark-eyed Petronella, who clung to him,
fairly sobbing in her excitement and wonder; whilst Kate knelt
beside the prostrate figure of Culverhouse, who lay with closed
eyes almost like one dead.

"Kate, my girl, is it to thee we owe our deliverance?"

"Father, is he dead--is he dead?"

The cry was so full of anguish that it went to the father's heart;
and disregarding the shrill welcome and asseverations of Mistress
Dowsabel, who had just recognized, to her immense relief, that they
had admitted their own kinsmen to their doors, he bent over the
Viscount, and lifted him in his arms.

"Dead! not a bit of it. Dead men do not ride as he did. But he was
wounded in the arm, and has been losing blood fast, and doubtless
fainted the moment the strain was over. See, we will lay him here
on this settle beside the fire. Give him some wine, and bind up
that arm, my girl. Thou wilt choose to wait upon him thyself, I
trow. He will soon be able to thank thee for this timely rescue. I
must hear more of thy tale when I have spoken with thine aunt."

All was confusion now in the house,