Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/378

362 and into the woods, and at last arrived at the little sugar-house of which she had told him.

Leaving him within, she returned to the house and soon came back, her arms laden with blankets, which she spread upon the floor, and made up a rude but not uncomfortable bed, upon which he at once placed himself.

"There!" she said, as she prepared to depart. "Don't you try to leave till I bring you word, and don't you be frightened if I don't come as often as you expect me. I shan't forget you or neglect you, either. I 'll see that you have enough to eat, and when you 're stronger and the right time has come for you to go, then I 'll let you know, but don't try to do anything yourself till then. What you 've got to do is to keep quiet and not give any suspicion that there's some one in this sugar-house. I don't know what Tom 'll think of me."

She was gone before Robert could reply.

The recovery of the young express was much slower than he had hoped. The days dragged on till a week had elapsed, and still the good woman forbade him to try to depart, declaring that he was not strong enough. Daily she visited him and dressed his wound,