It was Alton who broke it.
"You had better go in.

I"-- and he smiled bitterly--"will wait until the music commences and they cannot notice me." The girl could stay no longer, though at last words which would have made a difference to both of them rose to her lips, but Alton waited until he could slip into the room unnoticed, and heard very little of the music.

During it Mrs.Forel managed to secure a few words with Thorne.
"You seem to have made friends with rancher Alton," she said.
Thorne smiled a little.

"Yes," he said.

"Of course I know little about him, but I think that is a man one could trust." The lady nodded, for he had given her an opportunity.