Page:Max Brand--The Seventh Man.djvu/106

92 started, and Black Bart went like a bolt through the door with Joan scrambling after him, screaming with excitement; from the outside, they heard the cry of a frightened squirrel, and then its angry chattering from a place of safety up a tree.

“Shall I call her back again?” asked Kate.

“Not if Bart comes with her,” answered Lee Haines. “I've seen enough of him to last me a while.”

“Well, we'll have her to ourselves when Dan comes; of course Bart leaves her to tag around after Dan.”

“When is he comin' back?” asked Buck, with polite interest.

“Anytime. I don't know. But he's always here before it's completely dark.”

The glance of Buck Daniels kicked over to Lee Haines, exchanged meanings with him, and came back to Kate.

“Terrible sorry,” he said, “but I s'pose we'll have to be on our way before it's plumb dark.”

“Go so soon as that? Why, I won't let you.”

“I” began Haines, fumbling for words.

“We got to get down in the valley before it's dark,” filled in Buck.

Suddenly she laughed, frankly, happily.

“I know what you mean, but Dan is changed; he isn't the same man he used to be.”

“Yes?” queried Buck, without conviction.

“You'll have to see him to believe; Buck, he doesn't even whistle any more.”