"And couldst thou make sure of thy mark at such a distance?" said the knight, smiling.

"I would risk my head on the shot, Sir Knight," replied the outlaw. "An' thou doubtest my skill, thou shalt see me furnish Galenius with a breakfast, which I doubt not he will prefer to the leech's mixtures. Seest thou yonder pheasant preening himself in the dim daybreak?"

Both the knights strained their eyes towards three or four square holes in the door, which were made to let in both air and light; for the window only consisted of crossed laths, and was covered by a woollen cloth, or curtain, to keep out the night-air. This was still down, so that the only light which entered the apartment (excepting the torch) was through the door; and this was but the feeble dawning of day, but little stronger than twilight. Through one of the holes, which fell in a line with the sky, and the topmost bough of a far-off tree, they discovered the form of the bird, which was scarcely distinguishable from the deep foliage, excepting by the motion of its head, and that appeared more like the moving of a stem in the morning breeze."

"By my knighthood!" said the stranger, "I should deem it good archery but to shoot thine arrow through the opening. 'Tis mere folly to think of sending a shaft half that distance."

The outlaw replied not; but unslinging the bow from his shoulders, and selecting oue of the best and straightest arrows from his sheaf, drew farther back to make sure his aim, and then bent the bow to its fullest stretch. The knights kept their eyes on one or other of the openings, and in a second saw the pheasant fall, pierced through with the arrow.

"By St. Christopher!" exclaimed the knight, "an' thou wert to swear to fetch down a star, I should scarcely doubt thy boast, after such a shot as this; no, not even if thou didst aim at it through a dark cloud. Assuredly, thine are the enchanted arrows of Benoldever."

"There are other archers in Sherwood," said the outlaw, "who would have hit the same mark."

"I marvel not at their bringing down the dun-deer," rejoined the earl, "after witnessing such skill as thou hast but now shown."

"Their shafts can reach higher game than that, Sir Knight," said the outlaw drily.

Either the sharp loud twang of the bow, or the power of the opiate which was exhausted, had aroused the wounded man, who now sat upright on his couch, and was rubbing his eyes, as if he could scarcely believe himself awake; so different was the scene before him, to those which he had been accustomed.

"Take this draught," said the physician, "it will help to recall thy wandering senses; for the mind, like the earth, is at times obscured by vapours, which only the sun can chase away. Even so will this blessed drink remove the clouds that now oppress thee."

The patient, whose lips seemed parched and feverish, emptied the cup without replying, then called for a draught of water, which was immediately given to him, with the addition of a small white powder. The outlaw and the knights stood beside his rude bed.

"Friend," said the outlaw, seating himself on the stool from which the leech had just risen, and taking the hand of the wounded man between his own; "look upon my face, and see if thou canst call it to thy remembrance?"

"I do," said the man, throwing back the long dark hair which partly shaded his pallid

features. "You once rescued me from the fangs of the Norman, De Marchmont, and, I doubt not, saved my life."

"A simple kindness," said the outlaw, "do I request in return, which.I will hold as good service, and remain your debtor. Where was the lady borne, whose dress you last night assumed, to aid her escape, and elude our pursuit? I ask you not to betray the planner of this foul plot, having heard that you was sworn on the holy emblem of our faith to secresy; put us on the right path to regain her from those, in whose hands she is now in thrall."

The wounded soldier hung down his head, and remained for several moments in deep silence; while the different thoughts which passed through his mind might be partially seen in the changes of his countenance, as if gratitude was combating with honour.

"Was she a free-born maiden," enquired the soldier, "or but the concubine of the noble whom she accompanied in the chase, as we were given to understand?"

The brow of the earl grew gloomy, as he was about to make some passionate reply; but Robin Hood prevented his remarks by saying,

Either the sharp loud twang of the bow, or the power of the opiate which was exhausted, had aroused the wounded man, who now sat upright on his couch, and was rubbing his eyes, as if he could scarcely believe himself awake; so different was the scene before him, to those which he had been accustomed.

"Take this draught," said the physician, "it will help to recall thy wandering senses; for the mind, like the earth, is at times obscured by vapours, which only the sun can chase away. Even so will this blessed drink remove the clouds that now oppress thee."

The patient, whose lips seemed parched and feverish, emptied the cup without replying, then called for a draught of water, which was immediately given to him, with the addition of a small white powder. The outlaw and the knights stood beside his rude bed.

"Friend," said the outlaw, seating himself on the stool from which the leech had just risen, and taking the hand of the wounded man between his own; "look upon my face, and see if thou canst call it to thy remembrance?"

"I do," said the man, throwing back the long dark hair which partly shaded his pallid