The first glance at the stately old figure, gone to decay like a tree
with dead rot, startled and amazed Truedale and he thanked heaven that
the master of Lone Dome was himself and therefore to be relied upon; no
one could possibly suspect Peter of cunning or deceit in his present
condition.
Greyson greeted the stranger cordially. He was in truth desperately
forlorn and near the outer edge of endurance. An hour more and he would
have defied the powers that had recently taken control of him, and made
for the still in the deep woods; but the coming of Truedale saved him
from that and diverted his tragic thoughts.
The fact was Marg and Jed had gone away to be married. Owing to the
death of the near-by minister in the late storm, they had to travel a
considerable distance in order to begin life according to Marg's strict
ideas of propriety. Before leaving she had impressed upon her father the
necessity of his keeping a clear head in her absence.
"We-all may be gone days, father," she had said, "and yo' certainly do
drop in owdacious places when you're drunk. Yo' might freeze or starve.
Agin, a lurking beast, hunting fo' food, might chaw yo' fo' yo' got yo'
senses."
Something of this Greyson explained to his guest while setting forth the
evening meal and apologizing for the lack of stimulant.
"Being her marriage trip I let Marg have her way and a mind free o'
worry 'bout me.
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