"Skipper?" Allan's laugh rang. "Doctor, I think Skipper's softening. Of
course he knows they're there--he must. Cousin Bruce, too. You remember
Bruce--forever chasing boys out of the orchard when he came on vacation?
Last night I saw him talking pleasantly to one of the gypsy men."
"Where was Bruce? At their camp?"
"No; down at the ravine bridge." Spurs touched the horse. "You and Joe
will be over this afternoon?"
"Nothing could keep me away," Dr. Stone said quietly. The horse was gone
in a crescendo of hoof-beats, and the blind man again stood thinking for
a time before moving on.
Joe Morrow met him at the house gate. "Allan stopped and said we were to
go over, Uncle David. He's going to show me the mare. And there's a story
in the _Herald_ about Bruce Robb. He's being sued--." The boy found the
story in the paper. "For eight thousand five hundred dollars." He spoke
the sum in a tone of awe.
Dr. Stone whistled soundlessly. How much would a good horse cost today?
Five hundred dollars? If a man who couldn't pay his bills spent five
hundred dollars for a birthday present----
"Joe, do you think you could get into that ravine on Allan's land without
being seen?"
"I--I think so."
"Somebody was there this morning hiding under the planking of the
bridge."