.

Wounded and spent as he was, the excitement of the encounter had
not yet subsided, and he was only vaguely conscious of his hurts,
whilst he was very much in earnest in his desire to get away from
this ill-omened spot before others of the band should return in
search of their missing comrades, and take a terrible vengeance
upon those who had slain or wounded them.

His companion was no less anxious than he to be gone; and as the
good horse picked his way in the dim light through the intricate
forest paths pointed out by the girl, who was plainly a native of
the neighbourhood, she told him in whispers of the men from whom
she had escaped, and of the fate which had so narrowly overtaken
her.

"They are the robbers of Black Notley," she said. "There are two
rival bands of robbers here--one at White Notley and one at Black
Notley. We call them the Black or the White Robbers, to distinguish
between them. The White are not so fierce or so lawless as the
Black; but both are a terror to us, for we never know what violence
we shall not hear of next."

"And these Black Robbers would have carried you away with them, by
what I gathered from their words, at least from the words of him
they looked to as their leader?"

The girl shuddered strongly.

"Once he lived in our village--Much Waltham, as it is called. He
was no robber then; but a proper youth enough; and although I was
but a little maid, not grown to womanhood, he asked my hand of my
father in marriage."

"And what said your father to his suit?"

"Why, that I was too young to be betrothed as yet; but that if he
were a steady youth, as time went on perchance it might be even as
he wished. But instead of growing up to the plough or the anvils as
other youths of our village do, he must needs go off to see
somewhat of the wars; and when he returned it was as a swashbuckler
and roisterer, such as my father and mother cannot abide sight of.
When he came to Figeon's to ask me in marriage, he was turned from
the door with cold looks and short words; but he would ever be
striving to see me alone, and swear that he loved me and would wed
me in spite of all. I had liked him when I was but a child, but I
grew first to fear and then to hate him; and at last I spoke to
Will Ives, the smith's son, of how he troubled me and gave me no
peace of my life. And forthwith there was a great stir through the
village; and Will Ives set upon him and beat him within an inch of
his life,