Part 42 (1/2)

His cries at once attracted notice The dull, dead street becary exclae, seized up his bags, and fled, stepping upon the writhing body of the cook as he ran

Little John turned the first corner at top speed Three ht and left and felled two of them The third he butted with his head, and the ht Little John ran The bags sadly io He darted down a little court to avoid a dozen clutching hands, and fancied he had now safety

He paused, drawing in his breath with a sob The race had tried him terribly The court was all dark, and his pursuers had overshot it; next instant, however, they recovered the scent and were upon his, dashed up to the end of the alley

There was a door, which yielded to hihted space before Nottingha The illu to the rain, but they gave enough light to achieve Little John's undoing The beggar was seized and his bags were torn froh the alley

”He hath robbed a house, and killed a man,” shouted the foremost ”Hold him fast and sure”

”Nay--I have killed no one,” cried the giant, struggling hopelessly and desperately ”Takethe, indeed,” said a voice, as so upside down On to the hard wet stones rolled a nus collected by this industrious outlaw--pockets, daggers, purses, knives, pieces of gold, and pennies of silver, a motley company of valuables

”They are my master's,” panted Little John, furiously ”Let them be”

”See what he hath in the other sack,” cried another ”He seemeth to have robbed our butchers also” The sack was opened, and the contents laid bare

A sudden silence fell upon the crowd, a silence of horror and hate Then a thousand tongues spoke at once, and Little John, frozen cold with loathing, saw under the flickering la

Out of the second sack had fallen the li even in this uncertain light A head, severed through the jugular arteries, rolled at his feet, grinning and ghastly

”'Tis Master Fitzwalter,” whispered one, in a lull ”Dead and dishonored----”

The cla fast He was beaten and struck at by them all; they tore at hie were as nothing beside the thought of that awful thing upon the ground The crowd and the lamps reeled and swarim vision of that dreadful body became plainer and plainer to hi out all else

CHAPTER XXVIII

As the days sped on and nothing was heard of Little John, Robin began to grow o hiham and there see Marian, and discover and (if need be) rescue his faithful herdsainst hio, Master,” begged Stuteley; ”for my life is of little account coo,” said Scarlett ”There is no such aniainst the rest of you I can ask for Master Carfax and he will perforce treat nificantly; ”I would not trust Master Simeon further than a rope would hold hih, cousin, and if you will go into the city for us we shall all be grateful For my part, I would dearly like to accompany you”

”Your duty is here,” answered Scarlett ”Rely on me I will find out what hath chanced to Little John, and will also attend Mistress Fitzwalter”

Will Scarlett started at once, and bore hiht of Gameithin two hours He paused for athe old place with half scornful eyes Then, ”What is to be, must be,” said Will, to hearten hiham meditatively If he could have met old Gamewell then and there he would have stopped hi, the sweet freshtenderly, and the peaceful deer fed placidly on the close grass of the glades

This sylvan picture was disturbed rudely for hist the trees, scattering the does in terrified alarht dress, and, lowering its head, charged at hiained shelter of an oak, scra turned about and dashed itself at the tree

”Now aentle friend,”to fix hiht be able to draw an arrow ”Sorry indeed would be anyone's plight who should encounter you in this black hu suddenly startle and fix its glances rigidly on the bushes to the left of it These were parted by a delicate hand, and through the opening appeared the figure of a young girl She advanced, unconscious alike of Will's horrified gaze and the evil fury of the stag