Three other men gathered about before the bargain was concluded, and the horse and its equipments sold for about half its value.
That done, the man turned toward the girl and motioned to her to lead her horse away to a more quiet place, and set him down to plead steadily against her decision.

But the talk and the horse-selling had taken more time than he realized.

The girl was more decided than ever in her determination not to go with him.

She spoke of the lady again.

She spoke of his mother, and mothers in general, and finished by reminding him that God would take care of her, and of him, too.
Then they heard the whistle of the train, and saw it growing from a speck to a large black object across the plain.