Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/273

Rh and that his words were to be obeyed literally. A great fear swept over him, and in an agony of terror he shouted: "Don't do that! I beg of you, don't do it! Just think what it is you 're doing! Suppose you were here in my place. Suppose you were tied here as I am. Cut this strap if you 're bound to set fire to the barn! Give me one chance to get away! Don't, don't leave me here! I 'll pay you, I 'll pay you well for it! Claud Brown's money won't be half as much as I 'll see that you get. If you leave me here you won't get a farthing from him or from anybody else. If you let me go, if you 'll cut these straps, you 'll be more than twice as well off. Don't do it! Don't do it! I beg of you, don't do it!"

The man looked up from his place, gazed steadily at Robert, and then without speaking struck a spark which fell upon the tinder, and in a moment there was a little curl of smoke and then a tiny blaze could be seen in the bottom of the pile. Robert began once more to strain desperately upon the cords that held him. There still might be a chance that he would be released before the barn was in a blaze, but the fear in his heart now was almost beyond control. Despite his efforts the straps