"Sam, you're an old fool!"

He followed her reluctantly from the room.

"Now," said his wife, "we c'n leave the door a little open--jest
a crack--an' you c'n look through and tell when she's in any reel
danger."

Sam obeyed.

"Dan ain't sayin' a word," he said. "He's jest glarin' at her."

"An' what's she doin'?" asked Mrs. Daniels.

"She's got her arm around his shoulders. I never knew they could be
such a pile of music in a gal's voice, ma!"

"Sam, you was always a fool!"

"He's pushin' her away to the length of his arm."

"An' she? An' she?" whispered Mrs. Daniels.

"She's talkin' quick. The big wolf is standin' close to them an'
turnin' his head from one face to the other like he was wonderin'
which was right in the argyment."

"The ways of lovers is as queer as the ways of the Lord, Sam!"

"Dan has caught an arm up before his face, an' he's sayin' one word
over an' over. She's dropped on her knees beside the bed. She's
talkin'. Why does she talk so low, ma?"

"She don't dare speak loud for fear her silly heart would bust. Oh, I
know, I know! What 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 shook his head as if her mood completely
baffled him, and then, worn out by the long watching, he went to bed.

For along time Mrs. Daniels sat without moving, with the same strange
smile transfiguring her. Then she heard a soft step pause at the
entrance to the room,