She made a step after him. He whined with delight
and moved closer to the door. Now she stopped again. He whirled and
ran back, caught her dress in his teeth, and again made for the door,
tugging her after him.
At last she understood and followed him. When she went towards the
corral to get her horse, he planted himself in front of her and
snarled so furiously that she gave up her purpose. She was beginning
to be more and more afraid. A childish thought came to her that
perhaps this brute was attempting to lure her away from the house, as
she had seen coyotes lure dogs, and then turn his teeth against her.
Nevertheless she followed. Something in the animal's eagerness moved
her deeply. When he led her out to the road he released her dress and
trotted ahead a short distance, looking back and whining, as if to beg
her to go faster. For the first time the thought of Dan came into her
mind. Black Bart was leading her down the road towards Morgan's place.
What if something had happened to Dan?
She caught a breath of sharp terror and broke into a run. Bart yelped
his pleasure. Yet a cold horror rose in her heart as she hurried. Had
her father after all been right? What power had Dan, if he needed her,
to communicate with this mute beast and send him to her? As she ran
she wished for the day, the warm, clear sun--for these growing shadows
of evening bred a thousand ghostly thoughts.
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