Silent, his head bowed a little, John Aldous stood before her after those last words.

A slight noise outside gave him the pretext to turn to the door.

She was going to Tete Jaune--to find her husband! He had not expected that.

For a breath, as he looked out toward the bush, his mind was in a strange daze.

A dozen times she had given him to understand there was no husband, father, or brother waiting for her at the rail-end.