ess
which died out with his smile as he looked around the room. The brim
of his hat curved up, his neckerchief seemed to flutter a little. The
wolf-dog reached the threshold in the same instant and stood looking
steadily up into the face of the master.

"Daddy Dan!" cried Joan.

She had slipped from the nerveless arms of Kate and now ran towards her
father, but here she faltered, there she stopped with her arms slowly
falling back to her sides. He did not seem to see her, but looked past
her, far beyond every one in the room as he walked to the wall and took
down a bridle that hung on a peg. Kate laid her hands on the arms of the
chair, but after the first effort to rise, her strength failed.

"Dan!" she said. It was only a whisper, a heart-stopping sound. "Dan!"
Her voice rang, then her arms gathered to her, blindly, Joan, who had
shrunk back. "What's happened?"

"Molly died."

"Died."

"They broke her leg."

"The posse!"

"With a long shot."

"What are you going to do!"

"Get Satan. Go for a ride."

"Where?"

He looked about him, troubled, and then frowned. "I dunno. Out yonder."

He waved his arm. Black Bart followed the turn of the master's body, and
switching around in front continued to stare up into Dan's face.

"You're going back after the posse?"

"No, I'm done with them."

"What do you mean?"

"They paid for Grey Molly."

"You shot one of their--horses?"

"A man."

"God help us!" Then life came to her; she sprang up and ran between him
and the door. "You shan't go. If you love me!" She was only inches from
Black Bart, and the big animal showed his teeth in silent hate.

"Kate, I'm goin'. Don't stand in the door."

Joan, slipping around Bart, stood clinging to the skirts of her mother
and watched the face of Dan, fascinated, silent.

"Tell me where you're going. Tell me when you're coming back. Dan, for
pity!"

Loud as a trumpet, a horse neighed from the corral. Dan had stood with
an uncertain face, but now he smiled.

"D'you hear? I got to go!"

"I heard Satan whinney. But what does that mean? How does that make you
go?"

"Somewhere," he murmured, "something's happening. I felt it on the wind
when I was comin' up the pass."

"If you--oh, Dan, you're breaking my heart!"

"Stand out of the door."

"Wait till the morning."

"Don't you see I can't wait?"

"One hour, ten minutes. Buck--Lee Haines--"

She could not finish, but Buck Daniels stepped closer, trying to mak