the seventh man-第19部分

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ith　a　scream　she　darted　past　him　toward　the　door。　Never　had　those　chubby　legs　flown　so　fast；　but　even　as　the　light　from　the　mouth　of　the　cave　glimmered　around　her；　she　heard　a　crunching　on　the　gravel　from　behind；　and　then　a　hand；　it　seemed；　caught　her　cloak　and　jerked　her　to　a　stop。

She　fell　sprawling；　head　over　heels；　and　when　she　looked　up；　there　sat　Bart　upon　his　haunches　above　her；　growling　terribly；　and　gripping　the　end　of　the　cloak。　No　doubt　about　it　now。　Black　Bart　would　have　his　teeth　in　her　throat　if　she　made　another　movement　toward　the　entrance。　A　city　child　would　have　either　gone　mad　with　terror　or　else　made　that　fatal　struggle　to　reach　the　forbidden　place；　but　Joan　had　learned　many　things　among　the　mountains；　and　among　others；　she　knew　the　difference　between　the　tame　and　the　free。　The　old　dappled　cow　was　tame；　for　instance；　and　the　Maltese　cat；　which　came　too　close　to　Bart　the　year　before　and　received　a　broken　back　for　its　carelessness；　had　been　tame；　and　the　brown　horse　with　the　white　face　and　the　dreary　eyes　was　tame。　They　could　be　handled；　and　teased；　and　petted　and　bossed　about　at　will。　Other　creatures　were　different。　For　instance；　the　scream　of　the　hawk　always　made　her　shrink　a　little　closer　to　the　ground；　or　else　run　helter…skelter　for　the　house；　and　sometimes；　up　the　gulches；　she　had　heard　the　wailing　of　a　mountain　lion　on　the　trail；　hunting　swiftly；　and　very　hungry。　There　was　even　something　about　the　dead　eyes　of　certain　lynxes　and　coyotes　and　bobcats　which　Daddy　Dan　trapped　that　made　Joan　feel　these　animals　belonged　to　a　world　where　the　authority　of　man　was　only　the　strength　of　his　hand　or　his　cunning。　Not　that　she　phrased　these　thoughts　in　definite　words；　but　Joan　was　very　close　to　nature；　and　therefore　her　instincts　gave　her　a　weird　little　touch　of　wisdom　in　suck　matters。

And　when　she　lay　there　tangled　in　her　cloak　and　looked　up　into　the　glowing　eyes　of　Bart　and　heard　his　snarling　roll　around　her；　and　pass　in　creepy　chills　up　her　back；　she　nearly　died　of　fear；　to　be　sure；　but　she　lay　as　still　as　still；　frozen　into　a　part　of　the　rock。　Black　Bart　was　gone；　and　in　his　place　was　a　terrible　creature　which　belonged　there　among　the　shadows；　for　it　could　see　in　the　night。

Presently　the　bright　eyes　disappeared；　and　now　she　saw　that　Bart　lay　stretched　across　the　entrance　to　the　cave；　where　the　long　shadow　was　now　creeping　down　the　slope。　Inches　by　inches　she　ventured　to　sit　up；　and　all　it　brought　from　Dart　was　a　quick　turn　of　the　head　and　a　warning　growl。　It　meant　as　plainly　as　though　he　had　spoken　in　so　many　words：　〃Stay　where　you　are　and　I　don't　care　in　the　least　what　you　do；　but　don't　try　to　cross　this　entrance　if　you　fear　the　length　of　my　teeth　and　the　keenness　thereof。〃　And　she　did　fear　them；　very　much；　for　she　remembered　the　gashes　across　the　back　and　the　terrible　rips　up　the　side；　of　the　dead　Maltese　cat。

She　even　took　a　little　heart；　after　a　time。　A　grownup　cannot　feel　terror　or　grief　as　keenly　as　a　child；　but　neither　does　terror　or　grief　pass　away　a　tithe　as　fast。　She　seemed　at　liberty　to　roam　about　in　the　cave　as　long　as　she　did　not　go　near　the　entrance；　and　now　the　shadows　and　the　dimness　no　longer　frightened　her。　Nothing　was　terrible　except　that　long；　dark　body　which　lay　across　the　entrance　to　the　cave；　and　she　finally　got　to　her　feet　and　began　to　explore。　She　came　first　on　a　quantity　of　dead　grass　heaped　in　a　corner　that　was　where　Satan　was　stalled；　no　doubt；　and　it　made　all　the　cave　seem　almost　homelike。　She　found；　too；　a　number　of　stones　grouped　together　with　ashes　in　the　hollow　circle…that　was　where　the　fires　were　built；　and　there　to　the　side　lay　the　pile　of　dead　wood。　A　little　down　the　cave　and　directly　in　the　center　of　the　top；　she　next　saw　the　natural　aperture　where　the　smoke　must　escape　and　last　of　all　she　came　on　the　bed。　Boughs　heaped　a　foot　thick　with　the　blankets　on　top；　neatly　stretched　out；　and　the　tarpaulin　over　all；　made　a　couch　as　soft　as　down　and　fragrant　with　the　pure　scent　of　evergreens。

Joan　tried　the　surface　with　a　foot　that　sank　to　her　ankle；　then　with　her　hands；　and　finally　sat　down　to　think。　The　first　fear　was　almost　gone；　she　understood　that　Bart　was　keeping　her　here　until　Dan　came　home；　and　fear　does　not　go　hand　in　hand　with　understanding。　She　only　wondered；　now；　at　the　reason　that　kept　Daddy　Dan　living　in　this　cave　so　far　from　the　warm　comfort　of　the　cabin；　and　so　far　away　from　her　mother；　but　thinking　makes　small　heads　drowsy；　and　in　five　minutes　Joan　lay　with　her　head　pillowed　on　her　arm；　sound　asleep。

When　she　awoke；　the　evening…gray　of　the　cave　had　given　place　to　utter　blackness；　alarming　and　thick。　Joan　sat　up　with　a　start；　she　would　have　cried　out；　bewildered；　but　now　she　heard　a　noise　on　the　gravel；　and　turned　to　see　Daddy　Dan　entering　the　cave　with　Satan　behind　him；　quite　distinctly　outlined　by　the　sunset　outside。　Black　Bart　walked　first；　looking　back　over　his　shoulder　as　though　he　led　the　way。

It　was　partly　because　the　black；　silhouetted　figures　awed　her；　somewhat；　and　partly　because　she　wished　to　give　Daddy　Dan　a　gay　surprise；　that　Joan　did　not　run　to　him。　And　then；　in　the　darkness；　she　heard　Satan　munching　the　dried　grass；　and　the　squeak　and　rattle　as　the　saddle　was　drawn　off　and　hung　up；　scraping　against　the　rock。

〃What　you　been　doin'；　Bart？〃　queried　the　voice　of　Daddy　Dan；　and　the　last　of　Joan's　fears　fell　f　rom　her　as　she　listened。　〃You　act　kind　of　worried。　If　you　been　runnin'　rabbits　all　day　and　got　your　pads　full　of　thorns　I'll　everlastin'ly　treat　you　rough。〃

The　wolf…dog　whined。

〃Well；　speak　up。　What　you　want？　Want　me　over　there？〃

It　would　have　been　a　trifle　unearthly　to　most　people；　but　Joan　knew　the　ways　of　Daddy　Dan　with　Satan　and　Black　Bart。　She　lay　quite　still；　shivering　with　pleasure　as　the　footsteps　approached　her。　Then　a　match　scratchedshe　saw　by　the　blue　spurt　of　flame　that　he　was　lighting　a　pine　torch；　then　whirling　it　until　the　flame　ate　down　to　the　pitchy　knot。　He　held　it　above　his　head；　and　now　she　saw　him　plainly：　the　light　cascaded　over　his　shoulders；　glowed　on　his　eyes；　and　then　puffed　out　sidewise　in　a　draught。

Joan　was　upon　her　feet；　and　running　toward　him　with　a　cry　of　joy；　until　she　remembered　that　he　was　not　to　be　approached　like　her　mother。　There　were　never　any　bear…hugs　from　him；　no　caresses；　not　much　laughter。　She　stopped　barely　in　time；　and　stood　with　her　fingers　interlaced；　staring　up　at　him；　half　delighted；　half　afraid。　She　read　his　mind　by　microscopic　changes　in　his　eyes　and　lips。

〃Munner　sent　me。〃

That　was　wrong；　she　saw　at　once。

〃And　Bart　brought　me。〃　Much　better；　now。　〃And　oh；　Daddy　Dan；　I've　been　lonesome　for　you！〃

He　continued　to　stare　at　her　for　another　moment；　and　even　Joan　could　not　tell　whether　be　were　angry　or　indifferent　or　pleased。

〃Well；〃　he　murmured　at　length；　〃I　guess　you're　hungry；　Joan？〃

She　knew　it　was　complete　acceptance；　and　she　could　hardly　keep　from　a　shout　of　happiness。　Daddy　Dan　had　a　great　aversion　to　sudden　outcries。

〃I　guess　I　am；〃　said　Joan。



Chapter　XX。　Discipline

He　made　the　preparation　for　supper　with　such　easy　speed　that　everything　seemed　to　be　done　by　magic　hands。　When　Joan's　mother　cooked　supper　there　was　always　much　rattling　of　the　stove；　then　the　building　of　the　fire；　a　long　preparation　of　food；　and　another　interval　when　things　steamed　and　sizzled　on　the　fire。　There　followed　the　setting　of　the　table；　and　then　a　long；　aching　time　of　hunger　when　the　food　was　in　sight；　but　one　could　not　eat　until　Daddy　Dan　had　done　this；　and　Munner　had　done　that。　Also；　when　one　did　eat；　half　the　taste　was　taken　from　things　by　the　necessity　of　various　complicated　evolutions　of　knife　and　fork。　Instance　the　absurdity　of　taking　the　fork　under　the　thumb　with　the　forefinger　pressing　along　the　back　of　the　wobbly　instrument；　when　any　one　could　see　that　the　proper；　natural　way　of　using　a　fork　was　to　grasp　it　daggerwise　and　drive　it　firmly　through　that　skidding　piece　of　meat。　Not　only　this；　but　a　cup　must　be　held　in　one　hand；　and　bread　must　be　broken　into　little　pieces　before　putting　butter　on　it。　Above　all；　no　matter　how　terribly　hard　one　tried；　there　was　sure　to　be　a　mistake；　and　then　a：　〃Now；　Joan；　don't　do　that。　This　is　the　way〃

But　how　different　everything　was　in　this　delightful　house　of　Daddy　Dan！

In　an　incredibly　short　time　three　torches　flared　about　them　and　filled　the　air　with　scents　of　freshness　and　the　outdoors…scents　that　went　tingling　up　the　nose　and　filled　one　with　immense　possibilities　of　eating。　At　the　very　same　time；　a　few　motions　caused　a　heap　of　wood　to　catch　fire　and　blaze　among　the　stones　while　a　steady　stream　of　blue…white　smoke　wavered　up　toward　the　top　of　the　cave　and　disappeared　in　the　shadows。　After　this　her　father　showed　her　a　little　stream　of　water　which　must　come　from　a　spring　far　back　in　the　cave；　and　the　current　slipped　noiselessly　along　one　wall；　and　dipped　of　sight　again　before　it　reached　the　entrance　to　the　place。　Here　she　discovered　a　little　bowl；　made　out　of　small　stones　nicely　fitted　together；　and　allowing　the　water　to　pour　over　one　edge　and　out　at　another　with　a　delicious　purlingsuch　crystal　clear　water　that　one　actually　wanted　to　wash　in　it　even　if　it　was　cold；　and　even　if　one　had　the　many　sore　places　on　fingers　and　nose　and　behind　the　ears。

Behold！　no　sooner　did　one　turn　from　the　washing　of　hands　and　face　than　the　table　was　miraculously　spread　upon　the　surface　of　a　flat　rock；　with　other　stones　nearby　to　serve　as　chairs；　and　on　the　table　steamed　〃pone；〃　warmed　over；　coffee　with　milk　in　itcoffee；　which　was　so　strictly　banned　at　home！potatoes　sliced　to　transparent　thinness　and　fried　to　crisp　brown　at　the　edges；　and　a　great　slab　of　meat　that　fairly　shouted　to　the　appetite。

So　far　so　good；　but　the　realization　was　a　thousand　fold　better　than　anticipation。　No　cutting　of　one's　own　meat　at　this　enchanted　board！　The　shining　knife　of　Daddy　Dan　divided　it　into　delectable　bits　with　the　speed　of　light；　and　it　needed　only　the　slightest　amount　of　experimenting　and　cautious　glances　to　discover　that　one　could　use　a　fork　daggerwise；　and　when　in　doubt　even　seize　upon　a　morsel　with　one's　fingers　and　wipe　the　fingers　afterwards　on　a　bit　of　the　dry　grass。　One　could　grasp　the　cup　by　both　sides；　scorning　the　silly　handle；　and　if　occasionally　one　sip