Page:Max Brand--The Seventh Man.djvu/116

102 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.”