He reached for it and held it to her without rising. She lifted the cup in both her trembling hands while he held the saucer, and slowly drank.
Jake's eyes went with abrupt directness to her wrists as she did it. He did not speak at the moment. Only as she returned the cup he put it quietly aside and laid his hand over hers.
"What's that skunk Sheppard been doing to you?" he asked.
She shrank at the straight question "How--how did you know----"
He lifted his hand and pushed back her sleeves without speaking. There was something dreadful about him as he regarded the bruises thus exposed.
A quick fear went through her. "Jake," she said sharply, "that--is no affair of yours. You are not to--interfere."
His eyes came up to hers and the hardness went from him on the instant. "I reckon you're going to make some use of me," he said.
She trembled a little and turned her face away. She had used his Christian name spontaneously, and now suddenly she found that all formality had gone from between them. It disconcerted her, frightened her, made her uncertain as to his attitude as well as her own.
Jake waited a few seconds; then with the utmost gentleness he laid his hand again upon hers. "Are you afraid to say it?" he said.
"To say--what?" Her hands moved agitatedly beneath his till strangely, unexpectedly, they turned and clasped it with convulsive strength. "Yes, I am afraid," she said, with a sob.