Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/184

168 with him. Two men on horseback had approached, but though they had looked keenly at him, they had not spoken save to salute him gravely, and at once passed on. Robert was aware that they were both gazing at him as he rode on up the hill; but he had pushed steadily forward, and was relieved when he perceived that the strangers were not inclined to turn back or to molest him.

It was between five and six o'clock in the afternoon when he arrived at a house by the roadside which he recognized from the description he had received as the tavern of Jacob Gunning. A man was seated on the low piazza, his chair tipped back against the side of the house and his feet braced against one of the low posts. Robert had received no description of Jacob himself, but the man before him certainly did not present the aspect of the ordinary boniface. He was a tall lanky individual, evidently possessed of great physical strength, but his face was almost expressionless and to all appearances devoid of interest in the coming of a possible guest. At all events he did not move from his position when Robert halted directly in front of him.

"I'm looking for Jacob Gunning's tavern," said Robert. "Is this it?"