Bertie had never been one to bestow caresses, even on her parents, and her only sign of deep feeling now lay in the tremble of her voice. She drew her hand away, and putting her arm about her mother's neck patted her cheek. "Cassie's doing well," she said, abruptly, "and the girls are fine. They brace right up to the situation, and--and everybody's nice to us. I reckon a dozen of the church ladies called yesterday to ask how you were--and Captain Haney came down to-day on purpose to find out how things were going." The sufferer's eyes opened wide. "Bert, he's with you!" "Yes, he drove me out here," answered the girl, quietly. "He's come for an answer to his proposition. It's up to us to decide right now." The mother broke into a whimper. "Oh, darling, I don't know what to think. I'm afraid to leave this to you--it's an awful temptation to a girl. I guess I've decided against it. He ain't the kind of man you ought to marry." She hushed her mother's wail. "Sh! He'll hear you," she said, solemnly. "There are lots o' worse men than Mart Haney." "But he's so old--for you." "He's no boy, that's true, but we went all over that. The new fact in the case is this: he's sold out up there--cleared out his saloon business--and all for _me_. Think o' that--and I hadn't given him a word of encouragement, either! Now that speaks well for him, don't you think?" The mother nodded. "Yes, it surely does, but then--" The girl went on: "Well, now, it ain't as though I hated him, for I don't--I like him, I've always liked him. He's the handsomest man I know, and he's treated me right from the very start. He didn't come down to hurry me or crowd me at all, so he says. Well, I told him I wouldn't answer yet awhile--time isn't really up till to-morrow. I can take another week if I want to." The mother lay in silence for a few moments, and then with closed eyes, streaming with hot tears, she again prayed silently to God to guide her girl in the right path. When she opened her eyes the tall form of Marshall Haney towered over her, so handsome, so full of quiet power that he seemed capable of anything. His face was strangely sweet as he said: "You must not fret about anything another minute. You've but to lie quiet and get strong." He put his broad, soft, warm, and muscular hand down upon her two folded ones, and added: "Let me do fer ye as I would fer me own mother. 'Twill not commit ye to a thing." He seemed to understand her mood--perhaps he had overheard her plea. "I'm not asking a decision till you are well, but I wish you would trust me now--I could do so much more fer you and the girl. Here's the doctor, so put the whole thing by for the present. I ask nothing till you are well."