Oh, Dad, two lives lay
in the hollow of your hand. You could have saved them by merely asking
Dan to stay with you; but you've thrown them away."
"Buck Daniels!" repeated the old man, the horror of the thing dawning on
him only slowly. "Why didn't he get farther away? Why didn't he ride
night and day after he left us? He's got to be warned that Dan is
coming!"
"I've thought of that. I'm going into my room now to write a note and
send it to Buck by one of our men. But at the most he'll have less than
a day's start--and what is a day to Satan and Dan Barry?"
"I thought it was for the best," muttered old Joe. "I couldn't see how
it was wrong. But I can send for Dan and tell him that I've changed my
mind." He broke off in a groan. "No, that wouldn't be no good. He's set
his mind on going by this time, and nothing can keep him back. But
--Kate, maybe I can delay him. Has he gone up to his room yet?"
"He's in there now. Talk softly or he'll hear us. He's walking up and
down, now."
"Ay, ay, ay!" nodded old Joe, his eyes widening with horror, "and his
footfall is like the padding of a big cat. I could tell it out of a
thousand steps. And I know what's going on inside his mind!"
"Yes, yes; he's thinking of the blow Buck Daniels struck him; he's
thinking of the man who shot down Bart. God save them both!"
"Listen!" whispered the cattleman. "He's raised the window. I heard the
rattle of the weights.
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