crepit woman hobbling across the road, as
he with his company came hastening down it. He bade one of his fellows
to stay her, and ask if she had seen such and such a man. The soldier
gave her a full and vivid description of Robin Hood. The old woman, thus
rudely prevented from gathering her sticks--already she had a little
handful of them--answered that there _was_ a man within her cottage; and
that she would be right glad if my lord Bishop would cause him to be
driven out of it. "In sooth, my good gentlemen, he is none other than
that vagabond Robin Hood," piped she.

"Enough!" cried the Bishop, triumphantly. "Enter the cottage, men; beat
down the door, if need be. A purse of gold pieces is already offered for
the capture of Robin Hood, and I will give a hundred beside!"

The old woman was released, and went on gathering twigs for her fire.
Little by little she edged towards the forest, and while the Bishop's
men were beating down her cottage door she vanished between the trees.

Then she began to run, with surprising quickness, towards Barnesdale.

Stuteley encountered her presently, and was at first prepared to treat
her in rough fashion. "Hold your hand, sweet Will," cried Robin, "it is
I, your master. Summon our fellows, and return with me speedily. My lord
of Hereford is come again to Sherwood."

When Will had done laughing he blew his horn. "Why, mistress," said he,
turning his grinning face to Robin as though seized with a notion, "is
not this the day when the knight Sir Richard of the Lee--he to whom you
gave Arthur-a-Bland--swore he would return to pay us our moneys?"

"'Tis near the time, in sooth," admitted Robin.

"Then surely he hath sent the Bishop to us, not being able to come
himself?" argued Will. "We will see if the Bishop is carrying four
hundred gold pennies with him. If it be so, then I am right, indeed."

* * * * *

The Bishop, for all his bold words, had not yet nerved himself to give
the necessary command of death against the person of Robin Hood. Since
he would not come out of the cottage, the door must be beaten down.

When this had been done the Bishop's men had peeped in. "He is here,
hiding," they cried, exultingly. "Shall we slay him with our pikes?"

"Nay, keep watch upon and guard this cottage against all comers. Go, one
of you, to Nottingham, with all speed, and bring the Sheriff to us,
with many men. Say that I bid him here to settle matters wit