In the highwayman, it seems to be a loop. The man goes to the old in and does his little poetic speech. He promises to come back for his love Beth the landlord’s daughter. Then the red coats come and march to the old in. They take the landlord’s gin and tie his daughter to the bed. They guard her and strap her down. Then they put a rifle to her breasts of all places. This is to threaten the highwayman with her death if he comes back. He strolls down the highway on his way to the old inn. Little tom his knowledge the red coats are keeping the landlord’s daughters captive. He comes by and the rifle goes off killing Beth. He is enraged and screams and curses. He runs into the red coats on the highway. He was mowed down by fire from the red coats killing him. Then in heaven, as both are dead he comes by again saying the same poetic line. It may be a loop where they are infinitely killed again or a place where they are together.