“It’s Delilah!” she whispered.  “I seen her face!”

Kate was murmuring soft, formless sounds which made the old man and his wife look to each other with awe.  They retreated towards the door as if they had been found intruding where they had no right.

They saw the fever-bright eyes of Dan open.  They heard him murmur petulantly, his glance wandering.  Her hand passed across his forehead, and then her touch lingered on the bandage which surrounded his left shoulder.  She cried out at that, and Dan’s glance checked in its wandering and fixed upon the face which leaned above him.  They saw his eyes brighten, widen, and a frown gradually contract his forehead.  Then his hand went up slowly and found hers.

He whispered something.

“What did he say?” murmured Sam.

“I dunno,” she answered.  “I think it was ‘Delilah!’ See her shrink!”

“Shut up!” cautioned Sam.  “Ma, he’s comin’ to his senses!”

There was no doubt of it now, for a meaning had come into his eyes.

“Shall I take her away?” queried Sam in a hasty whisper.  “He may do the girl harm.  Look at the yaller in his eyes!”

“No,” said his wife softly, “it’s time for us to leave ’em alone.”

“But look at him now!” he muttered.  “He’s makin’ a sound back in his throat like the growl of a wolf!  I’m afeard for the gal, ma!”

“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.”