They had reached the door; Darrell, too deeply moved for speech and
knowing her aversion to many words, bent over her and kissed her on the
forehead.
"Thank you, mother; good-night!" he said.
She turned and looked at him with glistening eyes, as she replied,
calmly,-"Good-night, my son!"
The household was astir at an early hour the next morning. There were
forced smiles and some desultory conversation at the breakfast-table,
but it was a silent group which gathered outside in the early morning
sunlight as Darrell was about taking his departure. He dreaded the
parting, and, as he glanced at the faces of the waiting group, he
determined to make it as brief as possible for their sakes as well as
his own.
The heavy teams came slowly around from the stables, and behind them
came Trix, daintily picking her steps along the driveway. With a word or
two of instructions to the drivers Darrell sent the teams ahead; then,
having adjusted saddle and bridle to his satisfaction, he turned to Mr.
Underwood, who stood nearest.
"My boy," said the latter, extending his hand, "we hate to spare you
from the old home, but I don't know where I would have got a man to
take your place; with you up there I feel just as safe as though I were
there myself."
"Much obliged, Mr. Underwood," Darrell replied, looking straight into
the elder man's eyes; "I think you'll find me worthy of any trust you
may repose in me--at the camp or elsewhere."
"Every time, my boy, every time!" exclaimed the old gentleman, wringing
his hand.
Mrs. Dean's usually placid face was stern from her effort to repress her
feelings, but there was a glance of mother-love in her eyes and a slight
quivering of her lips as she bade him a quiet good-by.
But it was Kate's pale, sweet face that nearly broke his own composure
as he turned to her, last of all. Their hands clasped and they looked
silently into each other's eyes for an instant.
"Good-by, John; God bless you!" she said, in tones audible only to his
ear.
"God bless and help you, Kathie!" he replied, and turned quickly to Trix
waiting at his side.
"Look at Duke," said Kate, a moment later, as Darrell sprang into the
saddle; "he doesn't know what to make of it that you haven't bade him
good-by."
Duke, who had shown considerable excitement over the unusual
proceedings, had bounded to Kate's side as Darrell approached her,
expecting his usual recognition; not having received it, he sat
regarding Darrell with an evident sense of personal injury quite
pathetic.
Darrell looked at the drooping head and smiled. "Come, Duke," he said,
slowly starting down the driveway.
Kate bent quickly for a final caress. "Go on, Duke!" she whispered.