The wild things came to Joan as they came to her father, and the eyes of the child were the eyes of Dan Barry. It came home to Kate and she saw the truth for the first time in her life. She had struggled to win him away from his former life, but now she knew that it was not habit which controlled him, for he was wild by instinct, by nature. Just as the tang of his untamed blood had turned the child to this; and a few days more of life with him would leave her wild forever.
“He left you alone here!” she repeated fiercely. “Where a thousand things might happen. Thank God I've found you.”
Even if her words conveyed little meaning to Joan, the intonation carried a message which was perfectly clear.
“Don't you like Daddy Dan?”
“Joan, Joan, I love him! Of course.”
But Joan sat with a dubious eye which quickly darkened into fear.
“Oh, Munner, don't take us back!”
Such horror and terror and sadness mixed! The tears rushed into the eyes of Kate.
“Do you want to stay here, sweetheart?”
“Yes, munner.”