In him all things were now submerged in the wild thought that Joanne was free, and the grave had been the key to her freedom.
A calmness began to possess him that was in singular contrast to the perturbed condition of his mind a few minutes before.

From this hour Joanne was his to fight for, to win if he could; and, knowing this, his soul rose in triumph above his first physical exultation, and he fought back the almost irresistible impulse to follow her into the tent and tell her what this day had meant for him.

Following this came swiftly a realization of what it had meant for her--the suspense, the terrific strain, the final shock and gruesome horror of it.

He was sure, without seeing, that she was huddled down on the blankets in the tent.

She had passed through an ordeal under which a strong man might have broken, and the picture he had of her struggle in there alone turned him from the tent filled with a determination to make her believe that the events of the morning, both with him and MacDonald, were easily forgotten.
He began to whistle as he threw back the wet canvas from over the camp outfit that had been taken from Pinto's back.