"Humph!" he grunted, "that's just what I don't want. This what I'm
goin' to tell you is a queer thing--a mighty lot like a fairy tale,
maybe. I've kept it back from you years an' years thinkin' you'd find
out the truth about Dan for yourself. But bein' so close to him has
made you sort of blind, maybe! No man will criticize his own hoss."

"Go on, tell me what you mean. I won't interrupt."

He was silent for a moment, frowning to gather his thoughts.

"Have you ever seen a mule, Kate?"

"Of course!"

"Maybe you've noticed that a mule is just as strong as a horse--"

"Yes."

"--but their muscles ain't a third as big?"

"Yes, but what on earth--"

"Well, Kate, Dan is built light an' yet he's stronger than the biggest
men around here."

"Are you going to send him away simply because he's strong?"

"It doesn't show nothin'," said the old man gently, "savin' that he's
different from the regular run of men--an' I've seen a considerable
pile of men, honey. There's other funny things about Dan maybe you