And they ain't nothing but that worrying you, Marianne." His expression of concern vanished; his glance wandered far east where the shades were already brimming the valleys.
"I'll be getting on, then, honey." All at once, for pity at thought of him driving into the lonely silences, she caught his hand.

It was still lean, hard of palm, sinewy with strength of which most extreme age, indeed, would never entirely rob it.

And the touch of those strong fingers called back to her mind the picture of Oliver Jordan as he had been, a kingly man among men.
Tears came into the eyes of Marianne.
"But where are you going ?" she asked him gently.

"And why do you never let me go with you, dear ?" "You ?" he chuckled.

"Waste time driving out nowheres with an old codger like me?
I didn't give you all that schooling to have you throw your life away doing things like that.