Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/287

Rh heard by Robert, although he listened intently.

"Here?" he heard the lieutenant inquire in apparent surprise.

"No. There," replied Claudius Brown, but Robert could not hear any more.

The conversation was speedily ended and the officer turned back to his men. The word to advance was given, and the march was at once resumed. This time, however, the band proceeded more slowly, and soon Robert could see that they had withdrawn from the sheltering forest and were in an open space. Before him the fork in the road was to be clearly seen, and he looked eagerly for the presence of the men who were to join them. Not one, however, could he see.

On the side of the other road, near where it joined the one over which the band was marching, was a long dark stretch of forest whose borders came close up to the road itself, but of men near by nothing was to be seen. The officer, however, apparently was confident; and as soon as he had led the way to the fork, he turned sharply into the other road and advanced toward the woods, his men still following him obediently. Doubtless the man was about to lead his band into the adjacent woods