"A mighty good reason," said Aldous. "I've got to thank MacDonald for closing my mouth at the right moment. I was about to give it away. And now, Blackton, I've got to confide in you. But before I do that I want your word that you will repeat nothing of what I say to another person—even your wife."
Blackton nodded.
"Go on," he said. "I've suspected a thing or two, Aldous. I'll give you my word. Go on."
As briefly as possible, and without going deeply into detail, Aldous told of Quade and his plot to secure possession of Joanne.
"And this is his work," he finished. "I've told you this, Paul, so that you won't worry about Peggy. You can see from to-night's events that they were not after her, but wanted Joanne. Joanne must not learn the truth. And your wife must not know. I am going to settle with Quade. Just how and where and when I'm going to settle with him I don't care to say now. But he's going to answer to me. And he's going to answer soon."
Blackton whistled softly.
"A boy brought the note," he said. "He stood in the dark when he handed it to me. And I didn't recognize any one of the three men who jumped out on us. I didn't have much of a chance to fight, but if there's any one on the face of the earth who has got it over Peggy when it comes to screaming, I'd like to know her name! Joanne didn't have time to make a sound. But they didn't touch Peggy until she began screaming, and then one of the men began choking her. They had about laid me out with a club, so I was helpless. Good God——"
He shuddered.
"They were river men," said MacDonald. "Probably some of Tomman's scow-men. They were making for the river."
A few minutes later, when Aldous was saying good-night to MacDonald, the old hunter said again, in a whisper: