Max Brand

“ At sight of the wolf he started back and raised the gun, but Black Bart fawned about his feet.
"Don't shoot—it's a dog, an' there's his master!" cried Sam. "By the Lord, they's a dead man tied on that there hoss!"
Dan lay on Satan, half fallen from the saddle, with his head hanging far down, only sustained by the strength of the rein. The stallion, wholly spent, stood with his legs braced, his head low, and his breath coming in great gasps. The family ran to the rescue. Sam cut the rein and Buck lowered the limp body in his arms. ”

“ At the end of that time they had the saddle off and a manger full of fodder before him. They went back to the house with the impression of having done a day's work.
"Which it shows the fool nature of a hoss," moralized Sam. ”

“ You jest write this down inside your brain, Buck: a hoss is like a woman. They jest nacherally ain't no reason in 'em!"
They found Dan in a heavy sleep, his breath coming irregularly. Mrs. Daniels stated that it was the fever which she had feared and she offered to sit up with the sick man through the rest of that night. Buck lifted her from the chair and took her place beside the bed.
"No one but me is goin' to take care of Whistlin' Dan," he stated.
So the vigil began, with Buck watching Dan, and Black Bart alert, suspicious, ready at the first wrong move to leap at the throat of Buck. ”