Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/340

324 service to the wretched victim of some lawless men.

"Are you hurt?" he inquired in a low voice.

The groan that arose in response to his query left no doubt as to the reply.

"If you can walk, come over here by the spring and I 'll help you."

A mumbled reply that sounded indistinctly like "I cannot see," caused Robert to seize one hand of the prostrate man and lift him to his feet.

"There you are!" he said cheerily. "You 're not half dead yet. Come along!"

Groaning pitifully, the man, who apparently was entirely blinded, obeyed, and, clutching Robert's hand, followed him as he led the way to the spring on the opposite side of the road. For a moment the young express gazed at the abject and wretched victim whose plight certainly was one to move a harder heart than that which he possessed.

"Stand still," he said quickly. "We 'll see what can be done for you." Seizing some broken branches, he at once began to scrape the foul mixture from the man's face, and in a brief time had succeeded in removing enough to enable the man to open his eyes and gaze about him.