fools all men be! What fools! She's askin' him to forgive her."
"An' he's tryin' all his might not to," whispered Mrs. Daniels in an awe-stricken voice.
"Black Bart has put his head on the lap of the gal. You c'n hear him whine! Dan looks at the wolf an' then at the girl. He seems sort of dumbfoundered. She's got her one hand on the head of Bart. She's got the other hand to her face, and she's weepin' into that hand. Martha, she's give up tryin' to persuade him."
There was a moment of silence.
"He's reachin' out his hand for Black Bart. His fingers is on those of the girl. They's both starin'."
"Ay, ay!" she said. "An' what now?"
But Sam closed the door and set his back to it, facing his wife.
"I reckon the rest of it's jest like the endin' of a book, ma," he said.
"Men is all fools!" whispered Mrs. Daniels, but there were tears in her eyes.
Sam went out to put up Kate's horse in the stable. Mrs. Daniels sat in the dining-room, her hands clasped in her lap while she watched the grey dawn come up the east. When Sam entered and spoke to her, she returned no answer. He
