"But you've no evidence?" suggested Capper.
"I've the evidence of my own eyes," said Jake bluntly. "And there'll be further evidence presently, or I'm a nigger."
"What do you mean? He'll never own it."
"No." Jake spoke with a savage disdain. "He won't have the spunk for that. And he won't have the spunk either to take out a summons for assault. He'll just take it all lying down. I know. I know."
He swung round on his heel to go, went as far as the door, then suddenly wheeled and came back.
"Say, Capper!" he said, and all the savagery was gone from his voice; it held a note of pleading. "She'll get over it, sure?"
Capper's yellow face was full of kindness. He reached forth a hand that gripped hard. "Please God she'll live to be the mother of your children yet, Jake!" he said.
Jake drew a sharp breath. "God knows I don't want her--just for that," he said, with husky vehemence.
And then abruptly, as if ashamed, he pulled his hand free and departed.
Capper's fingers sought his beard as the door closed. "You're learning, Jake," he said. "You're learning. Wonder how soon she'll begin to find out that there's another man in the place where her husband used to be!"