"There is," was the reply. "I'll tell you all I know. I suppose I should
have done it before, but I have been putting it off, I hoped there would
be no need.

"I don't know just how Len and Whitey found it out," went on Mr. Carson.
"If they had only kept still a little longer you might never have known,
for I intended to go away from here soon."

"Go away from here, Dad?"

The endearing name slipped out before Dave was aware of it. A surge of red
sprang up into his cheeks, under their tan.

"Don't stop calling me that, Dave," begged Mr. Carson in a low voice. I
have been a father to you--at least I've tried to be."

"And you've succeeded," Dave said, affectionately.

"And I want to keep on in the same way," said the man, softly. "So don't
stop calling me dad, Dave. I--I couldn't bear that, even though I have no
right to it. But you asked me a question just now. I'll answer that before
I go on with the story.

"I did plan to leave here. I'm not making this ranch go, Dave, as I'd like
to see it. I have been thinking of giving it up. But that was before I
knew that my secret about you was known."

"Then you're not going now,--Dad?"

Dave hesitated just a moment over the name.