Her words dropped to a whisper as she finished speaking, and she waited, like a criminal awaiting sentence, for the man's judgment on them. Her eyes were downcast, and her rounded bosom was stirring tumultuously. What would he say? What would he think? And yet she must have told him. Was he not the one person in the world who held her fate in his hands? Yes, he must know all there was in her mind. And she knew in her heart that he would understand as she wanted him to understand.
Buck suddenly reined Cæsar in, and brought him to a standstill, turning him about so that he looked back upon the world they were leaving behind them forever. In silence Joan responded to his movement, and her horse closed up against the other.
"Guess your auntie's notions were all queer, so queer they're mighty hard to understand," he said reflectively. "But seems to me she's hit a big truth some way. That curse is sure lifted--sure, sure."
He pointed at the grim outline of Devil's Hill, now fading in the distance.
"Look ther' yonder. Yonder's the disaster, yonder is--death. An' we--we've sure passed through it. She's right. Our love is stronger than disaster--stronger than death."
Then he turned and gazed ardently into her upturned face. "Guess we sure found that love together, little gal. An' it's ours to keep forever an' ever. Ther' ain't no other love comin' around. I'm yours fer jest so long as I have life, an' you--wal, you're jest my whole, whole world."
He leant toward her, his dark eyes shining with his great love. Reaching out he drew her toward him, his strong, protecting arm encircling her slim waist.
"Say, little gal," he went on urgingly, "we're goin' right on now to Leeson Butte. Ther's a passon ther' who can fix us right. An' when that's done, an' ther' ain't nuthin' in the world can come between us, why, then I sure got two mighty strong hands yearnin' to git busy handin' you those things which can make a woman's life easy, an'--an' happy. Will you come, little Joan? Will you sure come?"
His eager young face was close to hers, and his deep breath fanned her warm cheek. She gave him no verbal reply. At that moment she had no words. But she turned toward him. And, as she turned, her lips met his in one long, passionate kiss. He needed no other reply. She was giving him herself. It was the soul of the woman speaking.
Some moments later their horses were again heading for Leeson Butte. The eyes of the girl were shining with a happiness such as she had never known before, and Buck sat with head erect, and the light of a great purpose in his eyes. For a while they rode thus. Then the man's eyes twinkled with a sudden thought. For a moment he glanced at the golden head so close beside him. Then he smiled.