Part 46 (1/2)
thought Robin
Sir Guy, clothed in old and ragged dress, looked to be a plain yeoman, slain in defence of his life, orthe hide well over himself Robin put the little whistle to his lips and blew it shrilly
Instantly, far off to the right of hiain from behind him there was reply In about four or fivethrough the wood to Robin's side
”Didst signal for us, lording?” asked the leader of the Robin
”Ay, see him! I have encountered and slain one of your robber fellows for ye,” answered Robin, si Sir Guy's voice and manner ”I would have you take up his body upon your shoulders and bear hi upon me”
The archers obeyed hi?” they asked
”I will lead ye,” cried Robin, waving his red sword truculently, ”Follow h the secret paths into Barnesdale, and there blew his horn so suddenly that Stuteley and his felloere upon the Sheriff's ht drop Sir Guy's dead body to the earth
Robin bade his men disarm the archers, and tie such of them as would not prove amenable
Thus the Sheriff was robbed of his best archers; for these fellows, finding the greenwood men to be of such friendly mind, soon joined in with theently, to hiret his share in it Yet ahaht should stayhis squire to his side, ”see you that this dead knight be buried with all respect; he fought me well and fairly”
”It shall be done, master,” answered Will Stuteley; ”you may be easy about it But I would have you listen to the talk of these archers--they have grave news of our comrade Little John It see of thy ed and burned”
Robin uttered an exclamation of horror Soon the terrible story was told hiht he paced the woods until the dawn, then fell incontinently into a deep and heavy slumber
”Disturb him not nor let him take action until I do return,” said the comfortable Friar Tuck, in business-like manner ”I kno his disterief if he atte a curtal friar and not now remembered in these parts I will visit the Sheriff and ask for leave to confess Master Little John Then I will come back to you with the best news I ham on the day before Sir Guy had left it Carfax had knohere the Princess ht be found all the while his ht of Gisborne that the ht be sure, however, that neither Monceux nor Carfax gave out any hint of this knowledge, for to do that would have stayed Sir Guy in his praiseworthy attempt upon the bold outlaw
Geoffrey--Master Scarlett--had found difficult work before him, but he intended to save Little John He was convinced that the cook had slain Fitzwalter, most likely at the command of soht this be? Who had profited by the death of so unassu a man as the late city warden?
Carfax treated Scarlett with scant ceremony The lean-faced fellow devoured the iteave nothing in return Scarlett had been left to cool his heels in the great hall of Nottingham Castle for near an hour afterward, whilst Simeon Carfax was closeted with the Sheriff
They were having a tidying of the rooms in honor of the Bishop's visit
Whilst Scarlett iood pleasure of Master Carfax the s to and fro; fresh rushes to strew my lord's rooms, candles and tapers, silks and cloths, and broers of water All the rubbish and sweepings of the floors were borne out in great baskets to the courtyard
One of the uish, lazy wench, would only carry her basket so far as the hearth of the hall A fire was there, why not use it? Also she could ogle and throw sidelong looks at Master Scarlett, who, for his beard and thirty-five grave years, was none so bad ainto the open hearth a lot of ends of silk and cos from her mistress's roo Master Scarlett Then, finding that he would not notice her, she poutingly returned with her basket upon a fresh journey
Scarlett ca scraps