Usually girls embarrassed him, but he recognized so much of Joan in the features of the mother that he felt well acquainted at once.
Motherhood, surely, sat as lightly on her shoulders as fatherhood did on Dan Barry, yet he felt a great pity as he looked at her, this flowerlike beauty lost in the rocks and snow with only one man near her.

She was like music played without an audience except senseless things.
"Yep, I'm a lot better," he answered, "but it sure makes me terrible sorry, ma'am, that I got your little girl in trouble.

Mostly, it was my fault." She waved away all need of apology.
"Don't think an instant about that, Mr.Gregg.Joan needs a great deal of disciplining." She laughed a little.

"She has so much of her father in her, you see.

Now, are you strong enough to lift yourself higher in the pillows ?" They managed it between them, for he was weaker than he thought and when he was padded into position with cushions she laid the tray across his knees.