rn. Tell me now, were you a yeoman and made a
knight by force? Or have you been bad steward to yourself and wasted
your property in lawsuits and the like? Be not bashful with me, we shall
not betray your secrets."

"I am a Norman knight in my own right; and I have always lived a sober
and quiet life," the sorrowful knight replied. "My father, and his
father, and his father's father were all knights of the King; but, as is
often the case, friend Robin, rich men sometimes find their riches fly
away from them. Until within this last year I have contrived by dint of
care and labor, to live on the few hundreds of rent and the like which
fall to me year by year; but now I have only these ten pennies of silver
and my wife and children three."

Robin asked how his moneys had gone from him.

"I lost them through misfortune and naught else," the knight declared,
sighing. "I have a son--a good youth--who, when he was but twenty years
of age, could play prettily in jousts and tournaments and other knightly
games. He had the ill luck to push his sports too far; and did kill a
knight of Lancashire in a battle _a outrance_. To save my boy I had to
sell my lands and mortgage my estates; and this not being enough, in
the end I have had to borrow money from my lord of Hereford."

"A most worthy Bishop," said Robin, ironically; "I know him well."

"He seemeth to be a hard man in law," said the knight; "and since I
cannot pay him the four hundred pieces he has promised to foreclose his
mortgage on our home."

"Have you not any friends who would become a surety for you, Sir
Knight?" queried Robin, thoughtfully.

"None. My friends have fallen away from me in mine adversity as leaves
from an autumn tree."

"Fill your goblet again, Sir Knight," Robin commanded; and he turned to
whisper a word in Marian's ear. She nodded, and beckoned Little John and
Much the Miller to her side.

"Here is health and prosperity to you, gallant Robin," the knight said,
tilting his goblet, "and my best thanks for your cheer. Would that I
might make better recompense."

The two outlaws, with Mistress Marian, had now consulted the others, and
all seemed to be agreed. Warrenton, as treasurer to the band, was sent
into one of the inner caves, and presently returned, bearing a bag of
gold. He counted it out before the knight; and there were four times one
hundred golden pieces.

"Take this loan from us, Sir Knight, and pay your debt to the Bishop,"
Robin