Page:Tomlinson--The rider of the black horse.djvu/67



soon became apparent that no heed was given him by Russell, and Robert Dorlon, relieved of the fear which for the moment had possessed him, quietly rolled a little farther from his sleeping comrade. The deep and regular breathing of Russell became monotonous, and even the form of the huge guard in the doorway seemed to be leaning back against the wall as if he too was so confident of the security of his prisoner that he deemed it safe to indulge in a nap. Outside the hut the low rustling of the leaves of the trees could be heard, and the noisy notes of the crickets became almost unnaturally loud.

For a time Robert lay motionless and still, though his mind was busy as he recalled the exciting events of the night. The unexpected coming of Russell had been more than a diversion, for it had sharply recalled the prospects which Robert himself must face. The Tory had declared that he would remain only two or three hours, and then was to receive