Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/308

292 the old man quickly arose and faced him. Robert could see the manifest fear of the man, and the little eyes and crafty manner at once aroused his suspicions. His first thought had been that the man was indeed fortunate to be the possessor of any money, for the article was exceedingly scarce, as he himself had good reason to know, and even the strange place which the stranger had selected for counting his possessions did not at first make him suspect that anything was wrong. But the moment the man arose and faced him, his expression as well as his manner at once convinced Robert Dorlon that something was amiss. Still, he strove by his own manner to conceal his suspicions, and as he stopped on the barn floor he quietly gazed at the old man, who confronted him.

"Good-day, young sir," said the old man, with a nervous laugh that was more like a cackle than an expression of pleasure at the meeting.

"Good-day, sir," responded Robert respectfully, as he quietly returned the look which was given him. Whoever this man was or whatever he might be, he was assured that he himself had nothing to fear from him at the time.