Robin Hood

from the rectory in aquiet English village we pas

ry mule eating its provender by the wheel of a tented ox-waggon, it is untenanted, for the cattle have not yet been kraaled forthe night. Presently Thomas Owen enters this enclosure by the backdoor of the hut, and having attended to the mule, which whinnies atthe sight of him, goes to the gate and watches there till he sees hisnative boys driving

and although the hot African sun has bronzed itinto an appearance of health, his face is

Beyond this riverstretches a vast plain bounded on the horizon by mountain ranges, eachline of them rising highe

slopes ofthe nearest hills is the great kraal of their king,

house lies a space of rippling shallow water, where, unlessit chances to be in

n back twelve hours ago

far away on the plain. It is a mantravelling towards the water at a swinging trot. Going into th

t is John," he mutters,

before him, a stalwart native of thetribe of the Amasuka, the People

"Father," he answered, "I journeyed to the great town, as you bade me,and I was admitted before the majesty of the king; yes, he receive

t, the greatest in all

ave I not told you, John, to trust in God, and fear nothing at thehands of man?""You told me, father, but still I feared," answered the messengerhumbly. "Yet, being bidden to it, I lifted my forehead from the dustand stood upon my feet before the king, and delivered to hi

your land had reached the ears of Him whom I serve, theHigh and Holy One, and that, speaking in my heart, He had commanded meto take up the challenge of your message. Here am I, therefore, readyto abide by the law which you have laid down; for if guile or lies befound in me, then let me travel from your land across the bridge ofspears. Still, I would dwell a little while here where I am before Ipass into the shadow of your rule and speak in the ears of your peopleas I have been bidden

th and serve another king than I. Yet because you are bold, Iforgive you. Go back now to that white man who is named Messenger andwho comes upon an embassy to me from the Lord of Heaven, and bid himcome in peace. Yet warn him once again that here also we knowsomething of the Powers that are not seen, here also we have ourwizards who draw wisdom from the air, who tame the thunderbolt andcompel the rain, and

trouble brewing at the Great Palace, father. Listen,and I will tell you; as I have heard, so I will tell you. You knowwell that our King Umsuka has two sons, Hafela and Nodwengo; and ofthese Hafela is the heir-apparent, the fruit of the chief wife of theking, and Nodwengo is sprung from another wife. Now Hafela is proudand crue

, numberingthousands and tens of thousands of spears, to attend this feast of thefirst-fruits. That feast may well be a feast of vultures, my father,and when the brothers and their regiments rush together fighting forthe throne, what will chance to the white man who comes at such amoment to preach a faith of peace, and to his servant, one John, wholed him there?""I do not know," answered Owen, "and it troubles me not at all. I goto carry out my mission, and in th

er, you did not, although you wept forthe child and were sorry at the loss of the oxen. Now, my father, ifperchance they ask you to do such things as these yonder, or di

acles; but He canwork miracles Whom everything in heaven and earth obeys, and if thereis need He will work them through me, His instrument. Or perhaps Hewill not work them, and I shall die, because thus His ends will bestbe forwarded. At the least I go in fai

efore it is thatI fear that when the hour of trial comes He may desert you; and unlessHe covers you with His shield, of this I am sure, that the spear isforged which shall blush red in your heart, my father. It is for youthat I fear, who are so gentle and tender; not for myself, who am wellaccustomed to look in the eyes of Death, and who expect no more thandeath.""Forgive me," said Owen hastily, for he was moved; "and be sure thatthe shield will be over us till the time comes for us to pass whitherwe shall need none."*****That night Owen rose from the task at which he was labouring slowly

ls of Heaven should wait upon your mortalbreath. Worm that you are, has God need of such as you? If it is Hiswill to turn the heart of yonder people He will do it, but not bymeans of /you/. You and the servant whom you are deluding to his deathwill perish miserably, and this alone shall be the fruit of yourpresumptuous sin. Get you back out of this wilderness before themadness takes you afresh. You are still young, you have wealth; lookwhere She stands yonder whom you desire. Get you back, and for

g look ofthe believer whom he had betrayed to death; he saw the fierce facesand the spears on high. Seeing all this his spirit broke, and, just asthe little clock in the room behind him struck th