What can I do to help ?" He gave her a look which she remembered long years afterward.

It seemed to burn and sear its way into her soul.

How was it that a stranger had the power to scorch her with anguish this way?
And she him?
He turned, still with that desperate, half-frantic look in his face, and accosted two men who stood at the other end of the platform.

They were not in particular need of a horse at present; but they were always ready to look at a bargain, and they walked speculatively down the uneven boards of the platform with him to where his horse stood, and inspected it.
The girl watched the whole proceeding with eyes that saw not but into the future.

She put in a word about the worth of the saddle once when she saw it was going lower than it should.