Part 52 (2/2)

She paused an instant to throw back her hood; then taking the scissors of her chatelaine, suddenly and resolutely gashed the great artery in his arave a cry of pain and started up ”Be still, be still,” she ht, it will cure thee--lie back and sleep--sleep”

”Who are you?” he asked, feebly, and with swiain, and he fell back upon the couch Out of the night of pain the cold face of the dely at him!

She raised herself and softly withdrew As she locked the door upon him she smiled thinly, wickedly ”So, Robin--at last, Robin,” she ed”

Two hours later Little John returned Behind him was Stuteley, anxious and ashamed They had found a man in the woods, and had killed hie, only to discover then that he was but a yeoht

”I did hear my master's horn, mother,” cried Little John, when the Prioress had opened the wicket to theave”

[Illustration: THE PassING OF ROBIN HOOD

_Leaning heavily against Little John's sobbing breast, Robin Hood flew his last arrow out through the , far away into the deep green of trees_]

”'Twas the wind in the trees,” said she, serenely ”He sleeps” She prepared to close the wicket quietly ”Disturb hian to fear a trap With his sword he hewed and hacked at the stout oak door, whilst Stuteley sought to prise it open

When it yielded they rushed in upon a sorry scene Robin lay by thein a pool of blood, his face very white

”A boon, a boon!” cried Little John, with the tears strea from his eyes ”Let me slay this wretch and burn her body in the ruins of this place”

His rave: ”'Twas always my part never to hurt a woman, John I will not let you do so now Look to rave--it is to be kept well and honorably And my two sons--but Geoffrey will care for therave I could not bear another journey”

They sought to lift hiood true shaft” He took theainst Little John's sobbing breast, Robin Hood flew his last arrow out through the , far away into the deep green of the trees

A swift re man's face ”Ah, well,” he cried, ”Will o' th' Green--you knew! Marian, my heartand that day when first we one, and my last arrow is flown It is the end, Will----” He fell back into Little John's arossips,” he reen sod under my head and another beneath my feet, and let my bow be at h soently upon Little John's shoulder

”He sleeps,” whispered Stuteley, again and again, trying to make himself believe it was so ”He is asleep, Little John--let us lay him quietly upon his bed”

So died Robin Fitzooth, first Earl of Huntingdon, under treacherous hands Near by Kirklees Abbey they laid to his last rest this bravest of all brave men--the most fearless champion of freedom that the land had ever known

Robin Hood is dead, and no rave may be At the least it but holds his bones His na as the English tongue is known