The crippled cowboy kept his hope, kept his cheerful, grateful spirit, obeyed and suffered with a patience that was fine.

There had been no improvement in his injured foot.

Wade worried about that much more than Moore.

The thing that mostly occupied the cowboy was the near approach of October first, with its terrible possibility for him.

He did not talk about it, except when fever made him irrational, but it was plain to Wade how he prayed and hoped and waited in silence.