He saw nothing but blue sky.

Near the opening, looking down as if into the valley below, stood the tall, gaunt figure of a man, thin-shouldered and stooped.

His back was to the captive, but King observed that the three men, with two companions, who sat at the back of the cave, never removed their gaze from the striking figure outlined against the sky.
Many minutes passed before the watcher turned slowly to take in the altered conditions behind him.

King saw that he was old; grey-haired and cadaverous, with sharp, hawk-like features.

This, then, was the "old man," and he was not William Spantz.