m thy
brotherhood forever. We admit no murderer."

The ruffian looked up in bewilderment. "Robin--captain--thou here!" he
said falteringly.

"I must needs be everywhere, I see, if I would keep such fellows as thou
and these from the gallows. What is this?--a silver arrow--the young
archer--Um."

"A Nevile!" growled the would-be murderer.

"And for that very reason his life should be safe. Knowest thou not that
Richard of Warwick, the great Nevile, ever spares the commons? Begone!
I say." The captain's low voice grew terrible as he uttered the last
words. The savage rose, and without a word stalked away.

"Look you, my masters," said Robin, turning to the rest, "soldiers must
plunder a hostile country. While York is on the throne, England is a
hostile country to us Lancastrians. Rob, then, rifle, if ye will; but
he who takes life shall lose it. Ye know me!" The robbers looked down,
silent and abashed. Robin bent a moment over the youth. "He will live,"
he muttered. "So! he already begins to awaken. One of these houses will
give him shelter. Off, fellows, and take care of your necks!"

When Marmaduke, a few minutes after this colloquy, began to revive, it
was with a sensation of dizziness, pain, and extreme cold. He strove to
lift himself from the ground, and at length succeeded. He was alone;
the place where he had lain was damp and red with stiffening blood. He
tottered on for several paces, and perceived from a lattice, at a little
distance, a light still burning. Now reeling, now falling, he still
dragged on his limbs as the instinct attracted him to that sign of
refuge. He gained the doorway of a detached and gloomy house, and sank
on the stone before it to cry aloud; but his voice soon sank into deep
groans, and once more, as his efforts increased the rapid gush of the
blood, became insensible. The man styled Robin, who had so opportunely
saved his life, now approached from the shadow of a wall, beneath which
he had watched Marmaduke's movements. He neared the door of the house,
and cried, in a sharp, clear voice, "Open, for the love of Christ!"

A head was now thrust from the lattice, the light vanished; a minute
more, the door opened; and Robin, as if satisfied, drew hastily back,
and vanished, saying to himself, as he strode along, "A young man's
life must needs be dear to him; yet had the lad been a lord, methinks I
should have cared little to have saved for the people one tyrant more."

After a long in