water.

better to survey its wretchedness. The water trickled When our hero reached the end of the down the walls, from the excessive dampness of the passage, he mounted the stairs which were at the end, place, the very torch burnt pale and sickly in the humid flew up them, dashed down the passage at full speed, air, and Robin shivered as his frame encountered the trusting to outstretched arms to preserve him in case chill atmosphere of the dungeon. It was very small, of anything which might be in his way. He heard comparatively a box; and as he cast his eyes round he the voices of the fellows behind him, and he bounded felt a perfect conviction that escape without assistance along; he came to another flight of steps; he rewas utterly hopeless; but he had a strong presump- { collected the locality and expected them; he raced up tion that there were those who could and would them, pursued the passage to which they led. Along render him aid in his need, and drew fresh hope from he ran at his smartest pace; he remembered a turning suddenly observing the face of Hal of the Keep peep-to the left, another flight of steps, and a long passage; ing in the doorway, and as immediately, after giving he found the turning-was up the steps and along him a friendly nod, vanish. the passage in an incredible short space of time. The "There," ejaculated Lambie, "there, you may be very voices of his pursuers broke now very faintly upon comfortable there, if you can make yourself so, and his ears, and cheeringly told him that he had disit's no use giving way to despair. Keep up your tanced them; he still, however, kept on his speed, spirits, boy! we must die some day you know, and hoping to come to some chamber which might have why not to-morrow as well as next week? and dying, light enough to guide him in his future movements. after all, is but dying, and so what signifies in what Suddenly his hands encountered the back of a human manner you die? you may as well be hung as shot, or being; it was too late, and he at too great a speed to die in your bed—it's all the same in the long run.' stop; his arms gave a sudden impetus to the person "Very true, sir gaoler," returned Robin, with a before him, but his speed being greater than that he slight sneer; "but there's a taste i' these matters. I communicated to the person before him, or the reconfess that it would be the same to you to die a sistance being greater than the impelling power-we dog's death now as a better at any future time, but I will not stop to enquire which he ran over the would rather defer mine until I am rather better pre-impediment, and they both rolled to the ground pared to meet it; besides, I should prefer choosing the manner of my departure, if I could—if not, come when and how it may, I shall try to meet it as becomes a man and a Christian."

Lambie laughed. "As to a Christian," said he, "that may be all very well; but as to meeting it just now as a man, why that's another matter. I' faith, boy, when thy chin has strength enough to bear a beard, then speak of thy manhood."

"If I had you in the greenwood, with nothing but a quarter-staff and fair play," cried Robin, a little angrily, "I would make your thick skull acknowledge my manhood."

:

Pish, boy "" returned Lambie, somewhat fiercely; "when I come to thee i' the morning with thy pap, thou wilt cry for thy mammy."

"She'll come when I do," returned Robin, with a proud toss of the head. "But good Master-manlinessout-manned, boy as I am, you fear me, or you would not lock me in a dungeon deep i' the earth, with my arms bound, as if you expected I should run off with the castle and all it contains."

The taunt had the desired effect. Lambie removed the cords with a savage laugh. "I think of you but as a bird in a cage," cried he; "you can't get out unless the door is left open, and I'll take care that is

not done."

The instant he felt his arms free, Robin gave a rapid glance round at his chance for a sudden escape -there were only three men to prevent him; he had noted every place through which he had passed. Acting upon the impulse of the moment, he darted like an arrow upon the man who held possession of the torch. Like lightning he snatched it from his hand, and dashed it in the face of Lambie, who had sprung after him the moment he observed his movement. Uttering a cry of agony as the blazing torch came burning and flashing in his eyes, the wretched man put both his hands to his face; at the same moment Robin thrust the torch against the ground and extinguished it. In an instant all was utter darkness; Robin felt that now was his time to make the effort; accordingly he darted along in the darkness to the end of the passage, pursued by the two men, while Lambie followed, roaring with rage and pain, uttering the fiercest imprecations upon Robin, groping along, his eyes smarting and pouring with

together.

"Hollo! who's that, in the Holy Virgin's name?" cried the voice of the impediment.

"Ha!" cried the impelling power, rising up quickly, "is that Hal of the Keep?"`

"Yes," returned the voice.

"And I am Robin Hood. I have just broken from Lambie and the two soldiers-they are in hot pursuit after me."

"Ho, ho!" chuckled Hal, rising. "Lambie done again! give me your hand, Robin. Now, I'll wager they dont catch you again. Come along-don't speak till I tell you, and don't be afraid to run along swiftly. I'll take care that you don't run against anything; I know my way as well as if it was daylight. Aha! here come the fellows-not a word for your life, and don't fear to use your legs."

Firmly grasping Robin's hand, Hal darted off at full speed, Robin offering no drawback to him.

It is no joke to run at full speed, in utter darkness, along a place with whose locality you are utterly unacquainted; but Robin had essayed it with some success alone, and it was not likely that he would flinch now, when he had the assurance of being conveyed along without the least danger of encountering anything hurtful. On the pair went running, the silence only broken by the light sound of their feetand to do them credit, they made very little noise that way-occasionally a word from Hal "up," "down," "turn," and so forth, conveying the necessary directions without stopping. The voices of the pursuers, which had, after the interruption, gained considerably, had again grown fainter and fainter, until at length they ceased altogether; still Hal kept on. At last, for all things have an end, he stopped and tapped at a door; it remained a little while unanswered, then a soft low voice enquired who tapped.

"Brother Hal," was the whispered reply.

"Ha!" said the inmate of this room, and drew back a bolt which fastened the door; "what news have you, dear Hal? what have you brought us ?"

"Something better than news, Maude; look here!" A lamp was elevated, and Robin and Maude gazed on each other. The lady nearly screamed, and exclaiming with a voice teeming with emotion-"What! Robin Hood! have you escaped then? Thank heaven!" flung herself on his neck, and burst into

‘Aye, Maude,” said Robin, finding his tongue, “look up, smile, and look as you did when I saw you i' the afternoon."

"I shall never look so again," she said mournfully, shaking her head.

words and deeds. Thus, therefore, his acts, his language, or imaginings, must not be measured by the present youths of sixteen-(save the mark!)

As we have said, Robin sat him down to speculate, and it was upon Maude's conduct. He felt morally sure that she loved him; he drew not this conclusion from the kisses and flirtations which during the day passed between them, but from her act of kissing his hand with such fervour as he quitted the castle gates, and from her recent burst of tears on ascertaining his second escape. His speculations led him to think he had, by his attention to her, induced this feeling to arise, and he much questioned, now it had arisen, whether he was not in duty bound, having been the cause, to return it to the best of his ability.

But there was Marian! 'Twas true he had seen but little of her, but then he had seen no one like "Nay," said Robin, trying to console her, and im-her-ah! not even the Lady Christabel, beautiful as printing a kiss on her forehead, whose coldness almost she was; such an eye, such a smile, and such a musistartled him; he looked more earnestly at her, and {cal voice! But, alas! her station was above his; her found her eyes were swollen, as if from severe weep-brother was mating with a baron's daughter, and ing. "Come, come, this is unlike you, Maude; what according to Allan's confession, though he and his has caused this sudden change in you?" he asked sister were reduced in circumstances, they came from kindly. a noble family.

"Nothing! do not ask; I will tell you some other And what was he, the foster-son of a humble foresttime, not now; I shall be better presently," she re-keeper, of unknown parents, perhaps base born; and plied, rapidly and evasively. "The Lady Christabel the hot blood seemed to scorch his brow and chest as wishes to see you; we had resolved to liberate you, he thought this. Could he aspire to the hand of whatever the cost, but you have saved us the trouble. Marian? The services he might render her brother Hal has told us that Allan Clare received my lady's in saving his life, or helping him to the possession of missive; is he near? or what is his message ?" the Lady Christabel, he proudly resolved should be no "He gave no message," returned Robin, "for he stepping stone to her hand, and without an equivalent was not aware of my intention of returning, until of that nature, he felt the distance immeasurable; unable to send one; but I can make a shrewd guess besides, he had yet to discover that Marian had, or that the contents of that letter was a consent of the was likely to have aught more than a kindly feeling Lady Christabel's to join her fortune with that of towards him for favours received. She had looked Allan Clare; for I accidentally overheard a conversation on him, it was true, with something more than mere in the chapel touching that circumstance, and likewise friendliness as they parted that morning, and the look Allan Clare, immediately on perusing the missive, stated dwelt in his memory, and the slight pressure of the that he proposed an immediate return to Nottingham. hand seemed still to dwell there as strongly as when I therefore at once concluded that some fresh ill-given; but his wishes might have exaggerated these usage on the part of her father had induced the lady trifles, and most probably nothing more was meant to alter her previous determination of remaining with than the sweetness of conduct she exhibited to all. him." And then Maude, poor Maude! her weeping face rushed full upon his memory. Ah! pity is akin to love-but it is not love; yet for the moment he felt as if he could have clasped her in his embrace, that her head might rest on his bosom, and he soothe and console her.

"You are right, so far," said Maude.

"The unexpected appearance of a friend, who had been seized, bound, and mistaken for me, led to the sudden thought that if I declared myself, and was brought here, I might be enabled, by your assistance, to escape from the castle, and lead the lady Christabel to Allan. I know every foot of the forest between this and my home, and I warrant to convoy the lady safely."

She was very pretty; a light-hearted, mirthful, joy{ous piece of nature; a kind-hearted, free-spirited thing, who seemed to light up places by her presence, as the sun does when bursting from gloomy clouds in dull weather. She was in a station equal to his own; there was no disparity in years, for she was but sixteen, although she seemed nearer twenty; and she

"I will to her at once, and communicate all you have said," exclaimed Maude. "Remain here, quietly, no one will think of looking here for you, and I will soon return. Hal, come with me, I want you yet-loved him. Why, therefore, should he not return it? you can still serve me."

"Whatever it may be, Maude, I'll do't heart and soul," said Hal, earnestly.

Why should he not accept the homage of a heart that he knew would cling to him, 'stead of waiting for one who only might? Yet there was a strange feeling which seemed to measure his affection for Maude into a simple return of kindness, while to Marian it ap

Maude smiled, and patted his cheek affectionately. She turned to Robin, and saying, "I shall soon be back," quitted the apartment with her foster-brother.peared as though he must mingle adoration with the Robin sat him down to speculate.

We have said, that although he was a youth of sixteen, yet he was so much in advance of his age in thoughts, perceptions, and feelings, that he acted and felt as one ten years his superior; one important reason for this had been the system of education Gilbert Hood had employed in bringing him up. By education, we mean not book learning, but action; he had, from a child, been taught to think and act for himself, and this self-reliance shone out in all his

love he bore her, and, unlike his feeling towards Maude, it depended on no return. Kindness begets kindness

such feeling did Maud's conduct give birth to in his heart; but with Marian he felt to love her ere she had shown even a disposition of kindliness towards him-this was a powerful consideration. "I would love Maude and wed her, and be to her all she could wish or desire; but-but I cannot-I cannot!" he burst forth. "I cannot govern my inclination."

He paused, for his quick ear caught the sound

not relish. If the poor child should have suffered her affection to get the better of her prudence, why the blamé is not all hers: she has had no mother to guide her, and I have never supplied the place; therefore, why should I curse her-and in my anger I thought of such a thing—for that which has been produced by my own negligence? No, no! Besides, I remember her mother, a young, fond, foolish, and fond-hearted thing, was, when young, more kind than wise, and perhaps it runs in the family."

of approaching footsteps, by far too heavy to be those either of Maude or Hal: they drew nearer. A small lighted taper had been left with him; he immediately, from a prudential motive, blew it out. He quickly found it was a caution he did right in adopting, for the footsteps stayed at the door; presently there was a tapping. Robin did not see the necessity of answering, therefore he remained silent; the knocking again ensued, still no answer was returned to it; and again it was resumed, with the addition of being louder and more impatient. Robin remained silent as death. He ceased, and sunk into a reverie. A dead silence "Maude told me to remain quiet," thought he, "and ensued, which was broken by the light footsteps of quiet I will remain; if I am discovered it shall not be Maude swiftly approaching; her father (for the infor the noise I make." The knocking having been per-truder was Herbert Lindsay) heard her, and raised himsisted in for some little time longer, at length gave self to his feet: he groped for the door, and having place to the opening of the door. Robin, in blow found it, walked out, and met his daughter just at the ing out the light had neglected the precaution of threshold. fastening the door, and the figure of a man intruded itself into the room; for a moment it remained stationary, then a low voice uttered

"Maude! hist, Maude; S'death! I'll swear I saw the glimmering of a light through the crevices of the door! Maude, I say, why do you not answer? I know you are here;" and the person immediately commenced groping about the room.

"Maude!" he cried, rather loudly and sternly. "Good heavens!" cried Maude, startled. "Father! Why, in the name of mercy! what brought you here ?"

"I have something particular to say to you, girl." "Not now, father, in the morning; it is late; I am tired; I want to go to bed."

"But I shall say what I have to say now." "You have been drinking, father; tell me in the morning. Good night."

"No, no ; not good night yet—I am not gone, nor am I so easily got rid of; tell me where have you been at this hour? and why you are not in bed ?" "I have been waiting on the Lady Christabel, who is ill."

It was a small room, and there were various pieces of furniture decorating it. Robin, consequently, felt rather awkwardly situated, for if he attempted to avoid the stranger, the chances were that he would stumble over something, and his efforts to elude might lead to his discovery. He was seated on a sort of form-a very small edition of those in which schoolrooms delight-it was just large enough for two, "So Hal told me, or I should not have believed it. behind him was a corner of the room, and that com- But, pray how comes it that you are so free of your pleted his knowledge of the locality. Scarcely know-kisses to prisoners? are you not a shameless hussy to ing how to act, he noiselessly raised himself from his kiss strange men as freely as if they were sisters ?" stool, stepped over it, and then lifting it up, backed "Kiss strange men, father!" echoed Maude, in surhimself quietly in the corner. The room was too dark prise; "who told you such a thing?" to distinguish an object, but he could tell by the sound of the footsteps, and the heavy breathing of the stranger, at what part of the room he was; presently he made for the corner which held Robin. Immediately he heard him approach, he raised the form and held it out horizontally; the stranger's arm just cleared it reaching over it, and our hero, giving it a sharp lunge, it caught the stranger in the chest, and tumbled him flat backwards. He fell heavily, but raised himself so as to sit upright upon the floor, and muttered some smart oaths respecting furniture being stuck carelessly out for honest men to break their necks over.

"Who should tell me so but he who saw you!"
"Indeed! and who was that?"
"Why, Caspar Steinkopf!"

"Caspar Steinkopf told you that, did he? then he tells a gross, wicked falsehood. Confront me with him; and tell him also, father, that the next time he endeavours to entice me into wickedness, to basely deceive me and wrong you, not to give utterance to such unmanly lies, if he should meet with a second indignant repulse."

"Did he do this, did he ?" almost roared Herbert Lindsay.

66

"He did-he did! and threatened me if I scorned him," cried Maude, bursting into a passionate agony of tears.

bert, through his clenched teeth; "if I don't measure his hauberk with an ell of stout steel, I am neither father nor man. Good night, Maude! to thy rest, my child; never heed him; I believe him not, and will trounce him well for his villainy. Good night: come, dry thy tears-kiss me, girl; God bless thee, and the Holy Virgin keep thee!" With this benison upon his lips, he staggered away. The noise of his retreating footsteps having ceased, Maude called lightly to Robin, who answered her; she struck a light, and relighted the taper. She turned to him with a sad smile, and said

"Where can Maude be ?" he continued, "she ought to be snug in bed: I have felt all over, and she is not there. By my halidame! I shall begin to think that "Then the Holy Mother of God have mercy on Caspar Steinkopf told me somewhat of the truth, al-him hereafter, for none will I have here!" said Herthough I did dash my fist in his mazzard, for saying my daughter kissed prisoners as freely as her tongue wagged saucy words. The varlet! to dare to speak thus of child of mine. Um! but it's very odd she is'nt here; she cant be waiting on the Lady Christabel at this hour, and if she is'nt, where can she be? Phew! I feel in an infernal heat. The girl's a thought too lively, with scarce any but rough boys and ruder men to companion with. By the Holy Mother! if she should have been led astray! Phew! I should be a miserable old villain if I thought so. Ah! by the Mass! I remember Hal told me that the Lady Christabel was ill, and that he was gone for a leech. Ha! ha! I'm glad I thought of that; I will not be ready to think ill of her, even though Caspar Steinkopf should speak slightingly of her. A curse upon him! if I hear him repeat that again, I'll knock every tooth in his head down his throat, and that will be a meal he will

"My father did not discover you, did he ?" "No," answered he. "Who is that Caspar Steinkopf-have I seen him ?"

"Oh, never think of him! The lady-"

"But, dear Maude, I must: have I ever seen him, tell me ?"

"A moment, if you please, sweet madam, and then all will be ready," cried Maude, and disappeared from the room. In a minute she entered again with a mantle and head gear, saying

"Now, madam, let us depart-we have not a moment to lose."

"We! us!" echoed Christabel in surprise, "why you surely do not mean to accompany me?"

"I do, most certainly. Do not delay a moment by attempting to dissuade me, dear lady; I am immoveably determined. Let us away; run along, Hal."

Hal obeyed; she followed, taking Christabel by the hand, and Robin brought up the rear.

"I never shall be able to proceed in the dark," said Christabel.

Tuck that evening, tripped along, his toe caught in the corner of a tomb, and precipitated him with a loud ring on the stone floor. He scrambled up like a deer, and crying-" Away! hide behind the tombs, we shall be discovered!" disappeared, leaving his companions aghast at this disaster. But there was not time for reflection upon the consequences of this misfortune. Robin hastily pulled the Lady Christabel behind a huge Gothic pillar; but ere Maude could follow their example the light of a torch was suddenly thrown over the chapel, and a voice cried

"What! my pretty Maude at chapel so late! What penance hath thy director imposed, eh? midnight prayers? Don't believe all he says, Maude; it is not all gospel, although I thank him for this, for now I shall have a companion in my watch-eh, Maude?” So saying, a soldier walked quietly up the entry and reached her side, sticking the torch in one of the ornaments of a tomb. Maude saw there was no chance of escape without rendering the Lady Christabel's chance also hopeless, and so she did not attempt to fly, but with presence of mind seized the suggestion his speech conveyed.

"And if I have come to night-prayers by my con"Fear not, madam," said Maude, with a pre-fessor's award, it will not become thee, Caspar Steincautionary hush; "all is safe; it is the presence of light we have to fear; but speak not, for heaven's sake!-a whisper may betray us."

Obeying her injunctions, they all, led by Hal, went on in silence. The galleries, corridors, and unoccupied apartments were traversed and passed through uninterruptedly; stairs were descended, passages entered { and left behind; ultimately a passage was reached, and they had not passed along a great distance ere they were stopped by a door, which upon essaying they discovered to be fast; this was an unexpected { hindrance, a disaster quite unlooked for. What was to be done? Every one had a try at it, then all tried together, but vainly-the door was immoveable.

"Is there no other outlet than this, Hal?" whispered Maude to her foster-brother.

t

"Yes," he replied; "there is one, but it is much longer, not so safe, and I do not know it so well as this."

"What are the fastenings of the door?" asked Robin.

"I do not know," returned Hal; "I never recollect it to have been fastened before."

"Oh for a light!" cried Robin; "we might then be able to see our difficulty and surmount it."

"I have the means of getting one," said Hal; "but sometimes the people are about here at all hours, and a light might draw their attention."

"It's worth the hazard," said Robin; "I have my bow and arrows. If any one saw us, and sought to give an alarm, I would send a shaft through his doublet ere he could accomplish his object!"

kopf, to interrupt them."

Aha! muttered Robin, "that's Caspar Steinkopf, is it?" and proceeded to fix an arrow to his bowstring.

"Aye, you say so, but do not think so, bonnie Maude," said Caspar; "and for my part I think 'tis folly to throw an advantage away; so we will begin at once with a few of those little favours you so kindly bestowed on the boy we caged to-day. Ho! ho! ho! pretty refreshment, truly; I need some of it. Come, Maude, hold up thy pretty lips, lass; " and he placed his arms-round her waist. She flung them from her indignantly, and with eyes flashing fire, cried,

"Keep off, thou churl; thou dastard! thy touch to me is poison-ugh! dare again to repeat thine infamous attempts of this evening, and, by the mother who bore me, I swear you shall not live to make a third insult. What! because I spurned thee from me as a loathsome thing, even as thou art, thou must to my father, sneaking like a mongrel cur, and utter base lies, to make him curse a child to whom he never before uttered an unkind word. Faugh! I spit upon thee, reptile! Begone, nor defile this holy place with thy polluted carcase."

"Sdeath, thy scorn shall bring its punishment with it. I will have thee in spite of thyself, and make thee a finger scorn after ;" and again he attempted to seize her, but she eluded his grasp, saying with intense energy

crown to chine."

"Touch me not, I charge thee, or my screams shall ring through this place with such sound as shall bring the whole of the castle inmates on thee. Stand off, or "Be it so," was the reply, and Hal struck a light; { you, who best know what you have to fear from death, they passed it along the fillet, and saw that it was fas-will best understand how you will meet a cleave from tened by massive bolts, and fortunately on the side on which they stood. It was soon opened, and they passed quickly through, extinguishing the light; they had not got far ere they were in the chapel. This was the most dangerous part, for the principal entry to it led from the grand staircase, at which a sentinel was always on guard; a footfall even, at that hour, was sure to be heard by him, and challenged as something unusual. The greatest precaution was therefore necessary; but, as it often occurs, where every effort is made to preserve the completest silence, some little cursed accident is sure to step in and render all the caution useless. Hal, in his haste to gain the panel, through which Maude had conveyed Robin, Allan, and

"Were death in thine arms, I'd clasp thee," cried Caspar, springing on her, and seizing her. She struggled violently, but screamed not, but he had not her a second in his grasp, ere an arrow went crashing through his eye and brain. With an unearthly shriek he staggered back, spun round in intense agony, and fell dead on the ground, at the moment that Hal of the Keep had sprung from his hiding place with drawn sword, to assist his foster sister.

Robin and the lady advanced, and Maude, turning to Robin, exclaimed, "Dearest brother, you have saved me from a fate worse than death!" fainted in his arms. Here was a fresh dilemma; but they were