Her eyes met his, and she uttered an exclamation.
"Hello!" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Come to, have y'u?"
Stella made no reply.
"Thought fer a while that y'u'd slipped over the Great Divide," the fellow continued.
"No fault of yours that I didn't," said Stella weakly, for the pain and nausea to which she was being subjected had taken all her strength.
"I ain't had nothin' to do with it, lady. I'm just guidin' the outfit. I don't know y'u, er how y'u got hurt. Feelin' better?"
"I would be much better if I could get out and walk. The motion of this carriage makes me deathly sick."
"Can't let y'u do that, lady. We're in too much of a hurry to stop now."
"But you might let me have a drink of water. I am dying of thirst."
"I reckon I can do that."