is old woman who hath befriended and saved me; and give
her, further, two hundred of the pieces on thy cloak," commanded Robin.
"We will share with her, even as she hath already shared with me this
day."

The outlaws then withdrew, taking with them the old woman and the
Bishop's gold. They left him in no great humor; but forebore to provoke
him further.

This adventure had, however, banished all hope of Robin making his
projected journey into Nottingham. He had perforce to return to the
caves at Barnesdale, to get changed again into a more befitting dress.
The day was old when he was ready to go out once more; and at Stuteley's
entreaty Robin consented to wait until the morning.

The Bishop lost no time in making Nottingham. He and his men were so
ashamed of having been overcome so easily by the greenwood men that they
had perforce to magnify Robin's band and its prowess twenty-fold.

Amongst the many knights who had followed, hopelessly, in the Princess's
train was one whose attentions had ever been very noxious to her. This
was a coarse, over-fed, over-confident Norman, brutally skilful in the
games at tourneys and ruthless in battles _a outrance_. His name was
Guy of Gisborne, and he hailed from the borders of Lancashire. To him
had fallen the rich fat acres of Broadweald, that place for which poor
Hugh Fitzooth had wrestled vainly for so long.

He had persecuted her unavailingly--'twas through a scene with him that
Scarlett had come so much into the maid's favor. Sir Guy had followed
her to Nottingham, meaning to steal her from the Sheriff at first
chance. "No Saxon churl shall hope to carry off this prize from me,"
thought Sir Guy. "Her beauty pleaseth me, and her fortune will help mine
own. Therefore, I will follow her meekly until we come nearer to my own
land. Then, perhaps, one night pompous Monceux may find her flown. He
will be blamed; and none need know whither the little bird has gone and
by whom she hath been trapped."

Sir Guy of Gisborne found another in the field with him; the Princess
had not waited for him to steal her. The little bird had flown ere Sir
Guy's trap had been set.

So the Bishop of Hereford found both the Sheriff and Sir Guy in evil
humor. My lord told his story, raging against Robin; the Sheriff had his
complaint--directed against the Princess in general and no man in
particular.

"Depend on it, Monceux, this rascal hath stolen away your charge," said
the Bishop, in order to s