e passion of his heart
beating life through him.

Two days later, at sundown, he came back. She heard the ringing of
hoofs along the trail and ran forward to meet him, catching the bridle
as the horse, a white lather of sweat, came to a panting halt. She did
not notice the lined exhaustion of the old man's face, had no care for
anything but his news.

"I've got everything fixed," he cried, and then slid off holding to the
saddle for he was stiff and spent. "The place is ready and I've found
a doctor and got him nailed. It'll be all clean and shipshape for you.
How's Low?"

An answer was unnecessary. He could see there were no good tidings.

"Weaker a little," she said. "But if it's fine we can start to-morrow."

He thought of the road he had traveled and felt they were in God's
hands. Then he stretched a gnarled and tremulous claw and laid it on
her shoulder.

"And there's other news, Missy. Great news. I'm thinking that it may
help you."

There was no news that could help her but news of Low. She was so
fixed in her preoccupation that her eye was void of interest, as his,
bright and expectant, held it:

"I seen David."

He was rewarded. Her face flashed into excitement and she grabbed at
him with a wild hand:

"David! Where?"

"In Sacramento. I seen him and talked to him."

"Oh, Daddy John, how wonderful! Was he well?"

"Well and hearty, same as he used to be. Plumped up considerable."

"How had he got there?"

"A train behind us picked him up, found him lyin' by the spring where
he'd crawled lookin' for us."

"Then, it wasn't Indians? Had he got lost?"

"That's what I says to him first-off--'Well, gol darn yer, what
happened to yer?' and before he answers me he says quick, 'How's
Susan?' It ain't no use settin' on bad news that's bound to come out
so I give it to him straight that you and Low was married at Humboldt.
And he took it very quiet, whitened up a bit, and says no words for a
spell, walkin' off a few steps. Then he turns back and says, 'Is she
happy?'"

Memory broke through the shell of absorption and gave voice to a
forgotten sense of guilt:

"Oh, poor David! He always thought of me first."

"I told him you was. That you and Low was almighty sot on each other
and that Low was sick. And he was quiet for another spell, and I could
see his thoughts was troublesome. So to get his mind off it I asked
him how it all happened. He didn't answer for a bit, standin'