Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/327

Rh vaguely wondering if this was a part of the intrepid girl's plan. The men wore no uniform, and one glimpse had been sufficient to convince Robert that all four of them were strangers to him. For a moment the very silence itself was as eloquent as it was awkward. Josh's face, too, was as blank as it was huge, but he did not move from his position. He did not know enough to be frightened, was Robert's comment to himself, as he could see the giant's abject helplessness. What his own position was he did not clearly perceive, but his confidence in Hannah, the fact that she had lured them all into the room and that the pistols had been secured, all seemed to him as parts of a scheme from which he had little to fear.

The door into the room was opened at this moment and four men entered, each with a rifle in his hands and ready for use. Three of the men covered the inmates with their guns, and one of them placing his rifle on the floor drew forth from his pocket a long strap with which he advanced upon Josh.

The giant's eyes flashed as he perceived what the purpose of the man was, and drawing back his fist he retreated to the wall and shouted, "I'm not afraid o' the lot! The first man that