The Rider of the Black Horse/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI
ROBERT'S WHEREABOUTS DISCOVERED
For a moment Robert was convinced that his presence in the room had been discovered. He leaned back against the wall and drew his pistol, resolved to make a desperate attempt to defend himself if he should be attacked. The color had fled from his face, but every nerve and muscle in his body was tense, and he was prepared to exert himself to the utmost.
"Where ye goin', Russell?" roared Josh.
The man did not respond to the question of his companion, but quickly passed out of the room and advanced to the piazza, and then went on to the barn; but in a brief time he returned and quietly resumed his place at the table. He glanced keenly at Jacob as he did so, but his quiet manner was unchanged, and to all appearances he was still unsuspicious.
"What's the trouble, Russell?" demanded Josh.
"There does n't appear to be any particular trouble, Josh," replied Russell quietly, "and I don't think there will be any if Jacob here is as good a friend to us as he appears to be."
"Oh, Jake's all right," responded the giant with a roar. "It is n't the first time he has helped us to a meal and made no charge for it."
"Jake will be paid this time," said Russell quietly.
The landlord had not spoken during the conversation since Russell had returned to the room, but there was nothing in his appearance to indicate that he was in any way suspicious of his visitors. Robert was still keenly excited, though his first fear of discovery had in a measure departed, and he was listening with bated breath to what was being said.
"Yes," repeated Russell, his voice still not changing in the slightest, "Jake will be paid this time. It's only fair that he should be. I know he's been good to us, and when we 've had no money with us he has chalked up the score, but he knew we were men who did n't forget our accounts."
"I have n't asked ye for any pay, have I?" demanded the landlord tartly.
"Not a farthing, Jacob, not a farthing."
"What's all this talk about then, I would like to know?" demanded Jacob.
"Oh, it's all Josh's foolishness," replied Russell lightly. "I say, Josh," he added, turning to his huge companion as he spoke, "have n't you eaten enough?"
"Have I?" responded Josh blankly, pausing in his occupation for a moment.
"Yes, I think you have. We must be pushing on. Better take a look at your pistols before we go. See that the priming is all right." As he spoke Russell drew forth his own weapon, and, apparently examining its priming, placed it on the table before him. His companion followed his example but laughed as he thrust the weapon back into his belt and said, "I don't know 's I care much 'bout such popgun affairs anyhow. As long as I 've got that 'long with me, I 'm not scared o' any mortal man I 've ever yet set eyes on." As he spoke Josh held up his immense and shapeless fist for the inspection of the men.
"I'd rather be hit by a bullet than by that bunch of bones, had n't you, Jake?" laughed Russell, turning to the landlord.
"I don't believe I'd choose either one o' 'em," replied Jacob quietly.
"But that's just what you 'll have to do, Jake," responded Russell, grasping his own weapon as he spoke, though the tones of his voice did not change.
"I guess not just yet."
"Yes, you will. I mean just what I say."
Robert could hear the words and instantly was excited, aware that a crisis of some kind was at hand. Josh stared stupidly first at Russell and then at the landlord, but apparently his excitement had deprived him of the power of utterance. Jacob's face slightly changed, but he did not betray any fear, at least by any movement on his part.
"Jake, you know me well enough to understand that I mean what I say, don't you?" began Russell.
"I think I 've heard ye talk before, if that's what ye mean."
"Now, Jake, there's just one chance for you. If you take it, all well and good; but if you don't you 'll have no one to blame but yourself. Now then, whose horse is that in your barn?"
"You 've got one there yourself," responded the landlord quietly.
"That won't do, Jake. You must answer my question. No, I 'll answer it myself and then I 'll ask you another. You have in your barn the horse that belongs to a young rebel named Robert Dorlon."
"Ye don't say so!" exclaimed Jacob in apparent surprise.
Russell laughed as he said, "That won't do, Jake. I know the horse and I know the man. I 've got the horse and what I want now is the man. Where is he?"
"How d' ye s'pose I know?" Still there was no evidence of fear on the part of the landlord and he spoke in the same tones he had used before.
"Where is he, Jake?" demanded Russell.
"I never heerd o' Robert Dorlon in all my life before this minute."
"Where is he?"
There was a moment of intense stillness in the room, which Robert almost felt could be heard, so excited was he in his hiding-place behind the door. By an effort he restrained himself and waited impatiently for the landlord to act, for he could hardly believe that Jacob would quietly submit, when he was aware that help was so near.
"I can't tell ye," said Jacob at last. "I did n't know there was such a man in the world as Robert Dorlon."
"Very well. We 'll acknowledge all that You did n't know the man's name, but he came here, for his horse is in your barn and he himself can't be very far away. We don't want to make any trouble for you, Jake. As far as I know you 've always been a good friend to us. Now, where is he?"
"I can't tell ye."
"Have you any choice between Josh's fist or my pistol?"
"What d' ye mean?"
"Just what I say."
"There was a young chap got supper here," began Jacob.
"Ah, I thought you would begin to recollect," said Russell quietly.
"He put out his own horse. I have n't got any man here now."
"Where is young Dorlon?"
"I did n't see him when he put his horse in the barn. He came into the house and Nancy cooked some supper for him, same 's she did for you. He then, 's far 's I rec'lect, went out o' th' room"—
The landlord stopped as a sound was heard outside the room, but though it quickly ceased Russell's suspicions apparently were aroused, for he said quietly to his companion, "Just go out and see what that was"—
"’T was only Nancy," interrupted the landlord."Go out and see what it was, Josh," continued Russell, apparently ignoring the interruption, "and while you are out there get the three horses all ready for a start. Jake here seems to prefer my pistol to your fist. I am deeply interested in his story and I doubt not I 'll come to the most interesting part in a minute now."
Josh arose and with apparent reluctance departed from the room.
"Now then, Jake," said Russell more sharply when his comrade had gone, "I am not a very patient man, though I might seem to be from the way in which I 've been listening to you. What I want of you is for you to tell me right now where young Dorlon is hidden."
"Yes, I think I did hear ye mention that before," drawled Jacob.
"I can put a bullet into you before you can stir a hand. You can see that for yourself, can't you?
"Well, I s'pose ye could. If ye can hit a barn door at a distance o' two yards ye ought t' be able to hit me. I 'll take yer word for it."
"Oh, I mean what I say, Jake.
"So I heerd ye remark before."
"For the last time I'm asking you where he is."
"Where who is?"
Before Russell could reply or act, the door was suddenly pushed back from its place and with a leap Robert Dorlon threw himself upon the man. In the fierceness of his attack the chair in which Russell had been seated was overturned and the man himself was thrown to the floor. With incredible swiftness the landlord also threw himself upon the prostrate man, his hand was held over his mouth, the pistol was wrenched from his hand and the Tory was completely helpless in the grasp of his captors.
"Gag him! Be quick! Josh will be back here in a minute," said Jacob, and Robert instantly followed the directions. A cloth was tied about the man's face, his hands were speedily bound, and then with a savage jerk Jacob lifted him to his feet, while he stared into his eyes with a rage that was as great as it was unexpected in a man of the landlord's ordinary calm demeanor.
"Seems t' me," he said in a low voice, "ye wanted t' know where young Dorlon was, did n't ye?" he repeated, shaking his helpless prisoner savagely as he spoke.
Russell, whose eyes could be seen above the bandage on his face, and in which an expression of great fear had appeared, nodded his head.
"Oh, ye did, did ye? Did ye want to see him real bad?"
Again Russell helplessly nodded his head.
"Well, here he is! Here he stands right in front o' ye. Ye satisfied now?"
The prisoner indicated that his satisfaction was complete.
"Now, then, ye want t' go back, I s'pose t' Claud Brown and his gang. I 've a mind t' let ye go, and then ye can tell 'em that ye asked me to tell ye where Robert Dorlon was. Ye might tell 'em, too, that I even went so far 's to stand him right in front o' yer eyes an' that ye did n't 'pear t' be a bit better satisfied then than ye were afore. But I'm not goin' t' send ye back now. Not just now. I can't bear to have ye leave me"—
"Josh will be back here in a minute," interrupted Robert.
"Let him come," said Jacob; "we 'll serve him the same way."
"No! no!" protested Robert. He whispered in Jacob's ear a suggestion that instantly caused the landlord to open the door of a wood-box that had been built into the side of the room, so that wood might be thrown into it from a wagon driven close to the outside of the house. Then lifting Russell bodily in his arms, he threw him into the wood-box and hastily closed the door upon him. Robert quickly took his position again behind the door where he before had been concealed, and the angry Jacob had barely pushed back the stone into its place when the huge Josh reëntered the room.
"Where's Russell?" demanded the giant, as he stared blankly about the room.
"He found the man he was looking for," replied the landlord tartly.
"He did? Well, I thought he'd prevail on ye t' make him show up," and, throwing back his head, Josh laughed loudly. "Where is he now?' he demanded.
"The last I saw o' him, he 'd started toward the woods."
"Who? Russell?"
"Yes. He was movin' fast, too."
"Did the young chap get away from him?"
"They were n't far apart when I last see 'em."
"They were n't? What direction did he go in?"
"That way," said Jacob tartly, pointing directly toward the wood-box as he spoke.
But Josh was not interested in the wood-box, for he was looking out into the woods beyond. "I 'll go after 'em," he said shortly.
"That's right, Josh," suggested Jacob. "They 've got a little th' start o' ye, but if ye do yer prettiest, an' don't give up, ye may be able t' catch up with 'em."
Josh darted out of the house, and as soon as he was gone Robert stepped forth from behind the door.
"Now's yer time. Start, an' don't let th' grass grow under yer feet," said Jacob.
"But I don't want to leave you here"—began Robert.
"Never ye mind me. Russell's where he can't do any harm, and Josh's just like a big boy. I can send him 'bout his business in short order."
"What 'll you do with Russell?"
"Don't ye worry 'bout him, nor me either. When ye do start, take all three horses. Ye may find use for 'em, if ye get through all right."
"I 'll do it, and I 'll tell what you 've done, Jake. You won't lose by it!" Robert turned as if he was about to go, but suddenly he said: "It will be a good thing for me to search that man Russell before I go. I might find a letter or something on him that the general would be glad to get."
"You do it, then. I don't want t' have anything t' do with it."
Robert stepped forward and opened the door of the wood-box, but a cry of dismay escaped him which instantly brought Jacob Gunning to his side.
"He's gone!" gasped Robert.
The fact was too apparent to be denied, and the open door on the outer side of the wood-box left no question as to the exit which the prisoner had employed.