Robin Hood

iershouts of "The king is murdered!" and "He is bewitched, the whitewizard has bewitched the king! He prophesied evil upon him, and

oil in his veins and he is smittenwith a stroke from heaven, such as men who are fat and heavy sometimesdie of; or he has been bewitched by a wicked wizard. Yonder standsone," and he pointed to Owen, "who not an hour ago prophesied thatb

!""Peace!" said Owen, holding the crucifix t

l of a dying man terrified them wh

of this, Councillors, thatif I die, your king

t is he, and whatdid he say? He is one who comes hither to preach a new faith to us; hecomes, he says, on an embassy from the King of Heaven, who has powerover all things, and who, so these white men preach, can give power toHis servants. Well, let this one cease prating and show us hisstrength, as he has been warned he would be called upon to do. Let himgive us a sign. There before you lies your king, and he is past thehelp of man; even I cannot help him. Therefore, let this messengercure him, or call upon his God to cure him; that seeing, we may knowhim to be a true messenger, and one sent by that King of whom hespeaks. Let him do this now before our eyes, or let him perish as

n water to me in a

to him, saying:--"Come hither, Prince, for you are honest, and I would have you to helpme, and no other man."The prince stepped forward and Owen gave him t

d lifting his eyes to heaven, hepraye

m their iniquities, to believe upon Thee, the only true God, and tosave their souls alive. Amen."Having finished his prayer, he took the bottle and shook it; then hecommanded Nodwengo to sit upon the ground and

and hold down the

of the bottle as far into the throat as it wouldreach, Owen poured the fluid it contain

they said; "so be it."Slowly the minutes slipped by, while the king lay like a corpse beforethem, and outside of that silent ring the soldiers murmured as thewind. The sun was sinking fast, and Hokosa watched it,

sa, who are skilled inmedicines, may know that this antidote does not work so swiftly

twenty to thirty, from thirty to forty. A few moreinstants and the game was played. Had tha

notbelieve that it was so; he believed that the Power above h

ned, sat up, and spoke:--"What has chanced to me?" he said. "I have descended into deepdarkness, now once again I see light."No one answered, for all were staring, terrified and amazed, at theMessenger--the white wizard to whom had been given power to bring menback from the gate of death. At length Owen said:--"This has chanced to you, King: that evil

saying:--"Messenger, I thank Him and I worship Him, though I know Him not. Saynow, how did His magic work upon m

now in your mind to speak words that shouldbring down the head of pride and evil, and lift

, and would have slain me beforeI said words that should set him beneath the feet of Nodwengo. Seizehim, captains, and let him be brought before me for judgment!"Men looked this way and that to carry out the command of the king, butHafela was gone. Already he was upon the hillside, running as

of cattle to the man who lays hand upon him before hereaches the /impi/ of the North, for they will fight for him!""Stay!" b

afela, my son, who would have murdered me, be deposedfrom his place as heir to my throne, and that Nodwengo, his brother,be set in that place, to rule the People of Fire after me when I die.""It is good, it is just!" said the council. "Let the king's word bedo

but a hair of his head is harmed, with your goods andyour life you shall answer for i

hite man. And now,Messenger, farewell, for my head grows weary. To-morrow I will speakwith you."Then the king was led away into the royal house, and save those whowere quartered in it, the regiments passed one by one through thegates of the kraal,

a little kraal numbering five or six large andbeautifully made huts, which stood by itself,

ning, and by its light womenappeared cleani

will stand beforeyour doors.""I do not need them," answered Owen, "for none can harm me till myhour comes. I am a stra

with you? Nay, threaten me not--in your own wordsI say it--'lay down that assegai, or by my spirit your body shall bethrown to the kites, as that of one who would murder the king'--andthe king's guest!""White Man," whispered Hokosa throwing down the spear, "how can thesethings be? I was

andsaved the king alive."Now the knees of Hokosa grew weak benea

is best that I should die. You have plotted well and youhave conquered, and to you belong my place and power.""It was you who plotted, and not I, Hokosa. Did you not contrive thatI should reach the Great Place but a little before the poison wasgiven to the king, so that upon me m

rding to your law yourlife is forfeit, seeing

ne, Hokosa, except that you cease from evil and listen with an openheart to that message which I am sworn to deliver to you and to allyour nation. Also you would do well to put away that fair woman whoseprice was the murder of him that fed you.""I cannot do it," answered the wizard. "I will listen to yourteaching, but I will not rob my heart of her it craves alone. WhiteMan, I am not like the rest of my nation. I have not sought afte