Then she recognized Robin for the first time, and a radiant smile came over her face, together with the rare blush of returned vitality, and her head sank upon his shoulder with a little tremble and sigh of relief.
“Oh, Robin, it is you!” she murmured.
“Aye, ‘tis I. Thank heaven, I was at hand to do you service!” Robin’s tones were deep and full of feeling. “I swear, dear Marian, that I will not let you from my care henceforth.”
Not another word was spoken for some moments, while her head still rested confidingly upon his breast. Then recollecting, he suddenly cried:
“Gramercy, I make but a poor nurse! I have not even asked if any of your bones were broken.”
“No, not any,” she answered springing lightly to her feet to show him.
“That foolish dizziness o’ercame me for the nonce, but we can now proceed on our way.”
“Nay, I meant not that,” he protested; “why should we haste? First tell me of the news in London town, and of yourself.”
So she told him how that the Prince had seized upon her father’s lands, and had promised to restore them to her if she would listen to his suit; and how that she knew he meant her no good, for he was even then suing for a Princess’s hand.
“That is all, Robin,” she ended simply; “and that is why I donned again my page’s costume and came to you in the greenwood.”