From the hour in which she had listened to the story of old MacDonald a change seemed to have come over Joanne.

It was as if she had risen out of herself, out of whatever fear or grief she might have possessed in her own heart.

John Aldous knew that there was some deep significance in her visit to the grave under the Saw Tooth Mountain, and that from the beginning she had been fighting under a tremendous mental and physical strain.

He had expected this day would be a terrible day for her; he had seen her efforts to strengthen herself for the approaching crisis that morning.

He believed that as they drew nearer to their journey's end her suspense and uneasiness, the fear which she was trying to keep from him, would, in spite of her, become more and more evident.