Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/320

304 "Back to see some o' your old friends."

"No, I am not going," replied Robert, glancing at Hannah, who was standing beside him, and evidently as excited as he by the interview.

"Think ye better go 'long." Whether Josh was threatening or not, Robert was unable to decide, but he was determined not to give up without an effort to go on his way. He had carefully noted what might be done if such a crisis should come, and he was holding himself ready for action at any moment.

The interview was interrupted, however, by the return of Mr. Beach, who hastily said, "Glad to see ye, Josh. He! he! I was just goin' to have this young man leave a notice with ye. It was a bit I had cut out o' the paper, an' I knew 't would interest ye."

"Did you give it to him?" demanded Josh sharply.

"Why, yes. He! he! 'T was all right, was n't it? He had th' ' word' all right. I knew ye 'd want it jest as soon as ye could get it, Joshua."

For a moment the huge cowboy glared at the trembling man as if he was minded to deal with him as he deserved. "If I expected to come back into these parts very