Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/109

Rh willing to take our word for it when we tell you there is n't a man in the house, why, you 'll have to look for yourselves, that's all." She was thinking of Robert as she spoke, and what he must be undergoing at that time.  That the traitors would search the place before they departed she was convinced, and if they began it at once then it would the more quickly be ended.

"You did n't say there was n't any one here. Has any one been here?" he demanded sharply.

"Yes, sir. A young man did come here last night." "Ah! there did? Yes, yes. What became of him?"

"He went back into the road again." It was the truth, though only a half truth, but Hannah did not feel called upon to explain that Robert had returned to the house after he had gone back to the road to secure his horse.

"What time did he come?"

"I don't know."

"About what time?"

"It was before it was light, was n't it, mother?" said Hannah, turning and speaking to Mrs. Nott.

"Yes," replied Mrs. Nott.