Richard flung himself from his horse, and turned the key.

But his enemies were now close at hand--Eccles and the men of his guard.

If the porter had but fallen the other way! Ere he could drag aside his senseless body and open the gate, they were upon him with blows and curses.

But the puritan's blood was up, and with the heavy handle of his whip he had felled one and wounded another ere he was himself stretched on the ground with a sword-cut in the head..