The same roof sheltered husband and wife. But no
unnecessary word was spoken between them. Their meals were taken
apart. They were as completely and coldly separate as though they
occupied opposite poles. And the girl who recognized these things, and
the man who watched them, only wondered how long it must be before the
final disaster came upon them.
Jeff's moods had become extraordinarily variable. There were moments
when his moroseness became threatening. The canker at his heart was
communicating itself to his whole outlook, and herein lay the failure
in his work.
It was the realization of all this which stirred Bud's impatience. He
knew that unless a radical change was quickly brought about, the
vaunted Obar had certainly reached and probably passed its zenith.
Finally, he opened his heart to the sure sympathy of Nan. He had
purposely taken her with him on a boundary inspection amongst the
foothills. They were riding through a silent hollow where quiet seemed
to lie on the top of everything. Even their horses' hoofs failed to
make an impression upon it.
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