Saturday morning visitor., 1848-10-28

unknown TO her, though now and then she fancled she had some
where seen a face like his. He appeared, too, as if DESTROYS of
catching her eye, at least, so Maud thought, as she could not help
following his fine shape with her eyes. Twice their glances met,
and Maud was conscious of blushing, though why she should do so
for a yeomsn she could not tel.
In The course of her observations she noticed that there were a
larger number of men present than was usual, and that quite one
half of their faces were strange to her. She mentioned this tactic
Grace. so"
Indeed, | now perceive il too,' said her cousin, with symptoms
of alarm. There is something strange in this, and it may be peril.
Dear Maud, had we not better return?'
'Oh! not yet-not yet cried The gay and reckless Maud, since
there can be no dangergwiile VIC are backed by those stout men-at-
arms. Wait a little while, for there will be fun yet from Master
Greejackets filtration with our pretty Queen of May-l see all
ready that her old lover is itching for bout at single stick
'He might chance { get the worst of it, said the old ~seneschal,
who at once squirrel the ladies and commanded the men-at-arms.
ALI then, youknow this forester. He is a handsome fellow, at
any rate said Maud.
mo, | don't know him. said the old veteran. But he looks as
supple as a young saphn-and my word on it-eould knock dull
Master Hodge head over heels before he knew it,
Who can he be? 2 said Grace. Not an outlaw, | hope for If
so, we had better return at once ~
AS you say, my lady, replied The old man deferentialIy, but for
my part, / don't look on these outlaws as enemies; they are true
and good Englishnen, and only foes TO knavish priests and hungry
Normans. Yon, my lady, who came of Saxon blood, ought never
10 fear the friends Of the people
Nor do L. said Maud. I'VE will stay
The sport now went on with increased activity and for sometime
Maud and Grace did nothing but laugh at the antics of the hobby
horse and capers of the dragon. Suddenly. however, a cry of a.
arm arose. and instantaneously was heard the catter of APPROACH
ing horsemen. BY the time Maud could look around, a body CT
men-at-arms, not less than fifty in number, had galoped on the
lawn, of which they took possession, the a%irighted villagers flying
in every direction.
The old seneschal Immediately formed his little troop around their
mistress, for he recognized in the leader of the inruders the Lord
Mountjoy, an hereditary foe of the baron, a neighboring' noble of
the worst character, and a jealous parhzan Of prince John. The
veteran hoped 10 have escaped unobserved. in the confusion, but the
Ant,er Of the woman's garments unfortunately attracted the aten-
ia of the lawless noble.
ia! what have we yonder 2? he exclaimed. by St. Jude, those
az. ladies, and guarded by de Spencer's men at arms. They must
be The pretty doves lie has cooped in his Internal strong hold during
his absence. The saints be praised that such rare creatures are
thrown in our path to-day-for1 by our ~hahdome, we might have
waited long, indeed, ere We could have rined them from their nests.
Wired, you ride toward the woodroad and cut off their retreat
We VIII keep the highway. "A rare banquet y shall have To-
night with these pretty danes for company
With that he laughed a coarse laugh, which reached even the
ears of Maud, and made her tremble with apprehension, for by this
time She had detected the cognizance Of her fathers foe. az
Close up-close uP,' cried the old seneschal, as he saw the
movements of the enemy. we must die around our mistress if
they attack US. But first let me speak them FAIR r
The veteran accordingly rode forward and attempted to parley
with the enemy but he was laughed to scorn whenhe asked a free
passage for his node mistress.
Nay, nay, my old fellow, not sofast,' cried Mounijoy. The la
dy Maud has a fine estate, and will match well with mine own no.
bic sell. Fortune hath placed her in my hands, and shall not neg
lect the chance, you may be sure
Then over our dead bodies only shall you take her. cried the
senesohal, falling back 10 his men.
BE it So said The noble. =
Meanwhile the villagers had totally disappeared, only a few of
the men lingering behind. Among these was the forester, who, du-
ring the first few minutes, had been drawing nearer to Maud. He
did not, however, seem TO purpose engaging in the strife, but saun-
tered careessly along as it only DESTROYS of getting suitable posi-
ton 10 observe the struggle. Once or twice be whisaed in an idle
way, and looked ~indiferently around. Maue, who, even in her
terror, was pursued by his image, at first hoped he was coming TO
her aid; but in this she was sadly disappointed, for when he had
approached within twent3 yards, he stopped at the door of a cot
tage, where he stood idly leaning against a door post.
The lawless noble had now put hismen in notion and at this in
slant they came on a galop with Ences leveled. The little band a.
round Maud met the shock bravely, but several of them were un-
ihorsed. The seneschal, however, still kept his saddle, and draw
ing his swOsd, while be shouted 10 encourage his men, he placed
himself anew in front of Maud, like a f.hhulwatch-dog defending
His charge.
But his heroic devotion was in vain. With one blow Of his huge
batle-axe, Mohnjoy hurled the old man to The earth, and conAnu-
ing his rapid carees, reached the side of the now defenceless Maud.
With a Shrek, the helpless maiden covered her face from his hated
sight-while Grace, as if her feeble arms could have protected her
cousin. threw herself between Maud snd her assailant. a eai
In This extremity, aidcame from a quarter whence il hsd ceased
TO be expected. During the eyentswe have described the forester
gtzed on the conflict, occasionally, however, looking toward The
wood but whenhe saw MOunjoy b~eaSdown the old sepeschal he
hastily stepped INTO the cottage and immediately r~e-appeared with
a bow and cloth yard shaA. hwas the work of a moment TO ftihe
latter 70 The. string, and quick as thonght the arrow sped on its mis-
sion Right through the bars Of MOnntjoy's helmetihe shaft bunJ
its way, penetrating the eye and thence entering the bran; and
with a duA groan the rude assailant fell backward from the saddle
and tunbled headloag TO the earth. Hehad not akn time to insult
Maud hy atoncE -, "a
At the same instant Aehser was heard from the wood, and thirty
bold archers steppedfcrh, each man arped with a bow and having
several arrows stuck inhis belt At their head was q tall salwaft
man, whose eagles plnns and silver bugle, to say nothing OF his
bearing, betrayed enc usedt TO command. He waved his hand, ahd
thirty arrows were promptlysfttd To the string. He gave the se-
nal, and each cloth yard shaft sped on is fatal GRAND Half Of NE
~rayishers fell TO the ground, and. the rest took to flight, though even
before that arrowy hail rained on them they had turned ,beir heys:
es infsar. As the discomftedv villains galaped away, the bold for.
esters gave three hearty cheers Na94lof e 1t 4
And now The forester whose shaft had sent Movntjoy 10 his hs
aeeouli, hurried up 10 the rescued ladies, where the hero Of ihl