Much to Thoreau's amazement Father Roland made no objection to David's ownership of Baree, and when the Frenchman described with many gesticulations of wonder what had happened between that devil-dog and the man, he was still more puzzled by the look of satisfaction in the Little Missioner's face.

In David there had come the sudden awakening of something which had for a long time been dormant within him, and Father Roland saw this change, and felt it, even before David said, when Thoreau had turned away with a darkly suggestive shrug of his shoulders: "That poor devil of a beast is down and out, _mon Pere_.

I have never been so bad as that; never.

Kill him?
Bah! If this magical north country of yours will make a man out of a human derelict it will surely work some sort of a transformation in a dog that has been clubbed into imbecility.

Will it not ?" It was not the David of yesterday or the day before that was speaking.
There was a passion in his voice, a deep contempt, a half taunt, a tremble of anger.