Nothing loath to follow Darrell, he bounded forward, but after a few
leaps, on discovering that his beloved mistress was not accompanying
them, he stopped, looking back in great perplexity. At a signal from her
and a word from Darrell he again started onward, but his backward
glances were more than Kate could bear, and she turned to go into the
house.
"What are you sending the dog after him for, anyway?" inquired her
father, himself somewhat puzzled.
"I have given Duke to Mr. Darrell, papa," she replied.
Something in the unnatural calmness of her tone startled him; he turned
to question her. She had gone, but in the glimpse which he had of her
face he read a little of the anguish which at that moment wrung her
young heart, and happening at the same time to catch his sister's eye,
he walked away, silent and uncomfortable.