"Mrs. Langdon, I can't never leave you now."
"Never leave me! Were you thinking of going, then?"
"Oh, yes, Mrs. Langdon. I thought I'd have to go. There—were reasons why, and——"
"Nettie, if the reasons are—Cyril, why, I know all about it. You can't possibly marry anyway until he gets back. Bill wants him to go to the States with the bulls."
"Mrs. Langdon, I can't never marry Cyril Stanley. I'd die first. Oh, Mrs. Langdon, I wisht I was dead. I wisht I had the nerve to drown myself in the Ghost River."
"Nettie Day, that is downright wicked. Whatever's come over you? Have you fallen out with Cyril? You've been brooding here alone. Now I'm back, things will right themselves. I want you to be the cheerful girl I'm so fond of—so very fond of, Nettie."
Very slowly, but bravely waving back the help Nettie proffered with outstretched hand, Mrs. Langdon moved to the stairs, smiling and reiterating softly her health formula:
"I am strong; in perfect health; in God's image; His creation. All's well with me and God's good world."
Nettie watched her as slowly she climbed the stairs. There was the sound of a closing door, and then a hollow, wrenching, barking cough. Words of the Bull flashed like lightning across Nettie's mind: