Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/303

Rh where the surprise and rout of the redcoats had occurred.

Even there no traces of the recent excitement were to be found, but in the very stillness there was something; almost ominous to the young rider. Almost unaware of what he was doing, he drew the rein more tightly on his horse, and found himself peering intently about him as he moved forward more slowly, fearful of discovering some one near. For a mile or more he cautiously proceeded on his way, but the tense silence of the night was not broken except by the sound of the footfalls of the horse he was riding. He soon turned into a road which he recognized as one over which he had before passed, and a feeling of increasing confidence returned to him. Perils were by no means gone, but the immediate fear of discovery by Claudius Brown or any of his gang had in a measure departed.

Steadily Robert continued on his way until in the light of the early morning he perceived the familiar little place of Dirck Rykman before him. He was eager to stop to make inquiries concerning his friend, and learn what had become of his little wife and child, but he could see no one about the house, and as he had convinced himself that