he stalked around the table and pushed his narrow head between
Dan's shoulder and the stallion. A snarl of incredible ferocity made
Satan turn, but without the slightest dread, apparently. For an instant
the two stood nose to nose, Black Bart a picture of snarling danger and
Satan with curiously pricking ears and bright eyes. The growling rose
towards a crescendo, a terrible sound; then a lean hand shot out with
that speed which Joan could never comprehend--and which always made
her think, rather breathlessly, of the strike of a snake. The fingers
settled around the muzzle of Bart.

"Of all the no-good houn'-dogs," declared Dan, "you're the worst, and
the most jealousest. Lie down!"

Bart obeyed, slowly, but his evil eyes were fixed upwards upon the head
of Satan.

"If you got any manners," remarked Dan, "you'll be sayin' that you're
sorry."

The ears flattened along the snaky head; otherwise no answer.

"Sorry!" repeated the master.

Out of the deep throat of Black Bart, infinitely, ludicrously small,
came a whine which was more doglike than anything Joan had ever heard,
before, from the wolf.

"Now," continued the implacable master, "you go over in that corner, and
lie down."

Black Bart arose with a finally ugly look for Satan and sneaked with
hanging head and tail to the outer edge of the circle of light.

"Farther! Clear over there in the dark," came the order, and Bart had
to uncoil himself again in the very act of lying down and retreat with
another ominous growl clear into the darkness. Satan held his head high
and watched triumphantly.

But Joan felt that this was a little hard on Bart; she wanted to run
over and comfort him, but she knew from of old that it was dangerous
to interfere where Daddy Dan was disciplining either horse or wolf;
besides, she was not quite free from her new awe for Bart.

"All right," said the master presently, and without raising his voice.

It brought a dark thunder bolt rushing into the circle of the light and
stopping at Dan's side with such suddenness that his paws slid in
the gravel. There he stood, actually wagging his bushy tail--an
unprecedented outburst of joy for Bart!--and staring hungrily into the
face of Dan. She saw a wonderful softening in the eyes of her father as
he looked at the great, dangerous beast.

"You ain't a bad sort," he said, "but you need puttin' in place
continual."

Black Bart whined agreement.

After that, when the dishes were being