"Never mind!" The tiniest of cuddling movements brought his arms tight around her again.
"Oh, sweetheart, sweetheart, you're worth it!" he cried. "I'd wait for you!"
They were startled when they noticed the shadows under the trees. They had not dreamed it was so late. She smoothed her hair and pinned on her hat with trembling fingers, and they raced for the landing. The river was an empty stretch of dirty gray lapping dusky banks. There was no one at the landing.
"It must be way after five o'clock. I wish I had a watch. The boat couldn't have gone by without our seeing it?" The suggestion drained the color from their cheeks. They looked at each other with wide eyes. "It couldn't have possibly! Let's ask."
The little town was no more than half a dozen old wooden buildings facing the levee. A store, unlighted and locked, a harness shop, also locked, two dark warehouses, a saloon. She waited in the shadow of it while he went in to inquire. He came out almost immediately.
"No, the boat hasn't gone. They don't know when it'll get here. No one there but a few Japanese."
They walked uncertainly back to the landing and stood gazing at the darkening river. "I suppose there's no knowing when it will get here? There's no other way of getting back?"
"No, there's no railroad. I have got you into a scrape!"
"It's all right. It wasn't your fault," she hastened to say.
They walked up and down, waiting. Darkness came slowly down upon them. The river breeze grew colder. Stars appeared.