Suddenly he opened his mouth to call. But Dan, reading
his purpose in his eyes, had him by the throat before he could utter a
sound.
This was enough.
With the letter in his pocket Dan stood silently regarding his now
cowering victim, and his deep voice was full of pain as he said, in that
slow way, "I regret this incident, Brother Strong, more than I can say.
I have no apology to make. It was inevitable. You have my word that no
one shall know, from me, what has occurred here this evening. When you
think it all over you will not carry the matter further. You cannot
afford it. You will see that you cannot afford it."
When the Judge lifted his head he was alone.
"Did I keep you waiting too long?" asked Dan, when he had again taken
his place by Miss Farwell's side.
"Oh no! But tell me: is it all right?"
"Yes, it's all right. Judge Strong has kindly granted our friends another
year. That will give us time to do something."
Arriving at the house he gave Hope the letter for Deborah. "And here," he
said, "is something for you." From under the buggy seat he drew the big
bass.
When Dan returned to Gordon's Mills with the team the next morning, he
gave back the Doctor's check, saying simply, "The Judge listened to
reason and decided that he would not press the case." And that was all
the explanation he ever made though it was by no means the end of the
matter.
Dan himself did not realize what he had done. He did not realize how
potent were the arguments that he had used to convince the Judge.
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