He had been a pillar of strength, elementally fit to combat all the elements, else she had perished.
"Wait!" She had halted at the point of the last hill which lay between them and the wagons.

They could hear the wailing of the children close at hand.
He turned inquiringly.

She handed back the poncho.
"I am all right now.

You're wet, you're tired, you're burned to pieces.
Won't you come on in ?" "Not to-night!" But still she hesitated.

In her mind there were going on certain processes she could not have predicted an hour earlier.
"I ought to thank you," she said.