Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/203

Rh barn the horse that belongs to a young rebel named Robert Dorlon."

"Ye don't say so!" exclaimed Jacob in apparent surprise.

Russell laughed as he said, "That won't do, Jake. I know the horse and I know the man. I 've got the horse and what I want now is the man. Where is he?"

"How d' ye s'pose I know?" Still there was no evidence of fear on the part of the landlord and he spoke in the same tones he had used before.

"Where is he, Jake?" demanded Russell.

"I never heerd o' Robert Dorlon in all my life before this minute."

"Where is he?"

There was a moment of intense stillness in the room, which Robert almost felt could be heard, so excited was he in his hiding-place behind the door. By an effort he restrained himself and waited impatiently for the landlord to act, for he could hardly believe that Jacob would quietly submit, when he was aware that help was so near.

"I can't tell ye," said Jacob at last. "I did n't know there was such a man in the world as Robert Dorlon."

"Very well. We 'll acknowledge all that