; "for I am used to deal with holy men."

So Midge went out from them, whilst they all hid themselves and waited.
When he was close to the palmer, Midge said, amiably: "I pray you, old
palmer, tell me if you know where and when these robbers are to die?
Doubtless you have passed the very spot?"

"That have I, indeed," answered the palmer, sadly, "and 'tis a sorry
sight to see. By the Sheriff's castle, out upon the roadway, they have
built an angled gallows-tree to bear the four of them at once. They are
to die at noon, after the torturing is done. I could not bear the sight;
and so have turned my back upon it."

The palmer spoke in a muffled voice; and as his hood had been pulled
well over his head, Midge could not see what manner of man he might
exactly be. He carried his long stick with its little cross at the top;
and had sandalled feet, like any monk. Midge noticed idly how small his
feet were for a man of his size, but gave no second thought to the
matter.

"Who will shrive these poor fellows, then, if you have turned your back
upon them?" asked Midge, reproachfully. This seemed to present itself as
a new idea to the palmer.

"Do you think, friend," he enquired, in a troubled way, "that I should
undertake the office?"

"By Saint Peter and Saint Mary, I do indeed," cried Midge, roundly.
"Would you leave them to the empty prayers which the Sheriff's chaplain
will pour coldly over them? Nay, in sooth, if your heart be turned to
sympathy, surely you are the man to administer this last consolation to
these poor fellows."

"If it might be permitted I would dearly love to shrive them," said the
palmer, still hesitating. "But I am only a poor palmer."

"Keep close to me," Midge told him, valiantly, "and you shall shrive
these good fellows an it become necessary. That I promise you."

He returned to Robin and told him that the execution had been fixed to
take place outside Nottingham Castle at noon. "We must hasten then,"
said Robin. "Go you first, Little John; and we will tread close upon
your heels."

Little John swam the moat, and sprang upon the warder of the city gates
suddenly, whilst he was craning his neck to get a view of the Sheriff's
procession of death. The big outlaw seized his victim from behind, and
clapped his great hand over his mouth. Very soon the warder was prisoner
in the round tower by the gate; and Little John had slipped himself into
his uniform.

Little John then lowered the bridge qui