“What lady?”

“Your lady.  The lady who rides in a carriage without horses.”

“Hang the lady!” he said inelegantly.  “Do you know that the train will be along here in less than an hour, and we have a great deal to do before we can get on board?  There’s no use stopping to talk about this matter.  We haven’t time.  If you will just trust things to me, I’ll attend to them all, and I’ll answer your questions when we get safely on the train.  Every instant is precious.  Those men might come around that corner ever there any minute.  That’s all bosh about respect.  I respect you more than any woman I ever met.  And it’s my business to take care of you.”

“No, it’s not your business,” said the girl bravely, “and I can’t let you.  I’m nothing to you, you know.”

“You’re every—­that is—­why, you surely know you’re a great deal to me.  Why, you saved my life, you know!”

“Yes, and you saved mine.  That was beautiful, but that’s all.”

“Isn’t that enough?  What are you made of, anyway, to sit there when there’s so much to be done, and those villains on our track, and insist that you won’t be saved?’ Respect you!  Why, a lion in the wilderness would have to respect you.  You’re made of iron and steel and precious stones.  You’ve the courage of a—­a—­I was going to say a man but I mean an angel.  You’re pure as snow, and true as the heavenly blue, and firm as a rock; and, if I had never respected you before, I would have to now.  I respect, I honor, I—­I—­I—­pray for you!” he finished fiercely.

He turned his back to hide his emotion.

She lifted her eyes to his when he turned again, and her own were full of tears.

“Thank you!” She said it very simply.  “That makes me—­very—­glad!  But I cannot go with you.”

“Do you mean that?” he asked her desperately.

“Yes,” steadily.

“Then I shall have to stay too.”

“But you can’t!  You must go to your mother.  I won’t be stayed with.  And what would she think?  Mothers are—­everything!” she finished.  “You must go quick and get ready.  What can I do to help?”

He gave her a look which she remembered long years afterward.  It seemed to burn and sear its way into her soul.  How was it that a stranger had the power to scorch her with anguish this way?  And she him?

He turned, still with that desperate, half-frantic look in his face, and accosted two men who stood at the other end of the platform.  They were not in particular need of a horse at present; but they were always ready to look at a bargain, and they walked speculatively down the uneven boards of the platform with him to where his horse stood, and inspected it.

The girl watched the whole proceeding with eyes that saw not but into the future.  She put in a word about the worth of the saddle once when she saw it was going lower than it should.  Three other men gathered about before the bargain was concluded, and the horse and its equipments sold for about half its value.