"But I would go with him, too, of course," she said. "It's awfully kind of you to offer...."
In a flash the picture of this woman and that ruin of manhood together in his house came before Bayard and, again, he realized the tragedy in their contrast. He saw himself watching them, hearing their talk, seeing the woman make love to her debauched husband, perhaps, in an effort to strengthen him; he felt his wrath warm at thought of that girl's devotion and loyalty wasting itself so, and a sudden, alarming distrust of his own patience, his ability to remain a disinterested neutral, arose.
"Do you think he better know you're here?" he asked, inspired, and turned on her quickly.
"It would sure stir him up, ma'am. He ain't even wrote to you, you say, so it would be a surprise for him to see you here. He's goin' to need all the nerve he's got left, ma'am, 'specially right at first,"--his mind working swiftly to invent an excuse--"Your husband's goin' to have the hardest fight he's ever had to make when he comes out of this. He's on the ragged edge of goin' _loco_ from booze now; if he had somethin' more to worry him, he might....
"Besides, my outfit ain't a place for a woman. He can get along because he's lived like we do, but you couldn't. All I got is one room,"--hesitating as if he were embarrassed--"and no comforts for ... a lady like you, ma'am."
"But my place is with him! That's why I've come here."
"Would your bein' with him help? Could you do anything but stir him up?"
She stopped, unable to get beyond that fact.
"If you ain't, just remember that he's a hundred times worse than he was when you had your last try at him."
She squeezed the fingers of one hand with the other. Her chin trembled sharply but she mastered the threatened breakdown.
"What would you have me do?" she asked, weakly, and at that Bayard swung his arms slightly and smiled at her in relief.
"Can't you stay right here in Yavapai and wait until the worst is over? It won't be so very long."
"I might. I'll try. If you think best ... I will, of course."
"I'll come in town every time I get a chance and tell you about him," he promised, eagerly. "I'll ... I'll be glad to," he hastened to add, with a drop in his voice that made her look at him. "Then, when he's better, when he's able to make it around the place on foot, when you think you can manage him, I s'pose you can go off to his mine, then."