rch-fiend
with him--now are they entwined as with the coil of deadly serpents.
Treacherous dog! the other would take advantage; but, ah! well done,
gallant young gentleman!--he holds him back with most wonderful
strength--And now--see, see--the combatants are separated--one stands
over the other! Oh God! oh God! how he stabs!--hold! hold! Now, could
the moon show through those deadly wounds, twenty at the least count;
and only one such would let the life from out Goliath, or the strongest
man in Gath.--But see, the other shows a fleet foot; and that silly boy
flies after him! Alack! that he will not learn discretion! There they
go, across the fields, and not towards the ferry."

When Robin arrived at this point in his comments, the man whose life had
most probably been saved by the young Cavalier's interposition, called
to him to come forward,--a summons the manikin obeyed at first but
slowly: a second call, however, urged his alacrity; and he stood before
one of whom he was evidently in much dread, with a bent head and a
tremulous frame.

"Canst tell aught of that vile clay, whom the Lord hath delivered into
my hand?" he said, pointing to the lifeless corpse, while his chest
still heaved from the violence of the exertion he had undergone,
although in other respects he appeared as composed as if he had gone
forth only to enjoy the sweet breath of evening, and a ruder breeze than
he anticipated had passed across his brow. Robin stooped to examine the
distorted features of the dead, smeared as they were by the warm blood
that issued from more than one mortal wound.

"He was one of thy party but three hours past," continued the stranger,
speaking with energy and rapidity, "and thou knew'st him; heard I not
his words beneath the oak? Ay, and if it had been left unto thee, verily
I might have been given over to the destroyer, even as Hoshea was given
unto Shalmaneser. Speak, thou deformity, lest, finding thy mind as base
as its casket, I let it forth from its vile dwelling, even as a thing of
nought."

"'Tis poor Grimstone," exclaimed Robin, rising from his scrutiny, and
evidently affected by the loss of his boon companion on more occasions
than one; "he was ever after some devilry--but his attack upon such as
you----"

"Silence, sir. Did I not before intimate my wishes?"

"Well, then," muttered Robin, "his attack must have been purely a matter
of plunder. Grim. was never ambitious--never looked beyond a purse of
bro