It was nothing to him what became of this house.

The only question in his mind was, Where was She?
What had happened to Her?
His breakfast was that of the solitary man in such surroundings.

He got a little bacon into a pan, chipped up some potatoes which he managed to pare--old potatoes now, and ready to sprout long since.

He mixed up some flour and water with salt and baking powder and cooked that in a pan.
The odors of the cooking brought new life into the otherwise silent interior of Sim Gage's cabin.

Sim felt something at his feet, at his leg.