Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-01-18

The lame SO there and cast away their
clutches. and the blind see. and the old
become young again. There is not n
house in Nottingham or Mansfield where
/ they shall not tell YOU some great story
1 If the wonders which she has worked. {"
"What avails IL" asked Robin.
"Nirklees is far away, in Yorkshire.
! have neither the strength Of limb to
walk thithcr nor to sit my horse. If you
loved me, you would take of the night
shade In the forest AMI mix me q draft
which should end all thisr'
THAT would l and speedily" said
the Friar. "if the hand of death were
indeed upon You. but II is not so. Hap
pity, in the letting of blood alone would
you find relief. and were L a surgeon we
would make trial of it. Say, Little
John. are we already so sunken and en-
feeble6 that we cannot bear our master
TO the priory Of Kirklees in order that
he may march back again with his ar
rows in his Lelt and ourselves behind
him, as in the old timeS?"
lit shall be done" said Little John.
And Robin, lying with eyes closed, said
no word for or against.
So that night litter was made ready
and Robin was laid upon il, with his
head on pile of rushes and his body
covered with the skins of wolves, for
his natural heat had gone. and even in
the day, when the sun was warm, he
shivered. And every one of his men
went with him. For, Icy reason of the
activity of the new sheriff, the danger
- h.. -
needful TO have scouts out far ahead to
be sure that all was clear.
Even SO, and though they journeyed
only by night, not once or twice was
the alarm given, and only by long de-
tour did the band get through in safety
And when they drew near TO the priory
of Kirklees it was agreed that Little
John and the Friar alone should bear the
litter 10 the gate
tie would have strength enough him.
self TO enter the presence of the prioreSs
But lest he should be recognized and
some harm should befall him, he car
ried his horn hidden under his cloak
One blast upon il would bring the
whole of his men unto his sucoor.
The prioresS' lodge at Kirklees was
not one Of the buildings that surround
cd the cloister court. 1t stood apart on
the right hand side having a walled
garden.
And there in the heat of the day the
prioress walked, holding an Illuminated
book in her hands. She went slowly up
and down the straight gravel walk IN
der the trees. The hands that held the
book were white and very thin; the
face still kept somewhat Of its cid beau
". but changed. There had been long
struggle and the enemy was vanQuish-
ed, but be was not dead and might yet
arise again.
AS she walked there one OF her maid
ems broueh; her word that a traveller,
sore spent. had been brought 10 the
portor's lodge and from thence had been
carried into the guest hail. and he beg
ged the prioress would 20 TO him and
work a cure upon him that his strength
might return and he might 20 on his
way.
Even a. she entered the guest hall
she knew who it was that lay there, and
yet not 10y one sign did she betray that
she knew it.
Robin lay with closed eyes and breath
ing heavily. He was conscious vaguely
Of wOmen's voices speaking near him.
Then his position was changed some
what. Through eyes that slowly opened
be saw the CLINT of sunlight fall on pol
ishtd brass and on snowy napkin. He
felt that some one was rolling back the
loose sleeve of his tunic. Then he caught
the sound of footsteps passing away in
the distance. There was deep silence,
and when be opened his eyes all had
gone save the prioress, who looked at
him intently.
do you know me:" she said
Aye" said Robin fee bly, Il pray
you u open my vein and let blood that
] may recover me from the sudden weak
ness which has fallen upon me.
She bent down beside him and said
no word. He felt the sharp prick in
the flesh Of his barred arm, and then it
seemed to him that he fell into de-
liehtful sleep.
His sleep was full of the happiest
dreams, melting vaguely into one an
other And they were all dreams OF
things that were past and over, as
though the sleeping brain knew uncon-
sciously that afterward there would be
nothing.
Maid Marian stood by him, young
and beautiful, in the days of her willful
youth, and whatsoever she babe him do
for her he did, though he knew that it
was 10 his ruin and undoing.
He rode his great white horse through
the forest OH a very bright and sunny
morning. All the birds were singing to-
gether and a feeling of we'll being was
deep Ill his heart.
/ His men were beside him talking and
laughing loudly. Suddenly ont from
their ambush sprang the sheriff men,
and Robin and his band fell upon them.
That, too, passed.
And now It was a clear moonlight
night, and Maid Marian stood by the