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 cleared away and cleaned with a
speed fully as marvelous as the preparation of the supper, Joan remembered
with a guilty start the message which she should have given to Daddy Dan,
and she brought out the paper, much rumpled.
He stood by the fire to read the letter.
"Dan come back to us. The house is empty and there's no sign of you except
your clothes and the skins you left drying in the vacant room. Joan sits
all day, mourning for you, and my heart is breaking. Oh, Dan, I don't
grieve so much for what has been done, but I tremble for what you may do in
the future.
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