Peter Blunt heard the scandal; he had watched things himself very closely. Jim Thorpe heard, but, curiously enough, rumor about these two did not seem to reach the “AZ” ranch easily.
However, what did reach Jim infuriated him almost beyond words. It was this last rumor that sent him riding furiously into the village late one night, and drew him up at Peter Blunt’s hut.
He found the gold seeker reading a well-known history of the Peruvian Aztecs, but without hesitation broke in upon his studies.
“What’s this I hear, Peter?” he demanded, without any preamble. “I mean about the––the Hendersons.”
His dark eyes were fierce. His clean-cut features were set and angry. But these signs didn’t seem to hurry Peter’s answer. He laid his book aside and folded his hands behind his head, while he searched the other’s face with his calm blue eyes.
“We’ve just got it out on the ranch,” Jim went on. “He’s––he’s knocking her about––they say.”
“And so you’ve come in. What for?”
The big man’s words had a calming effect.
“Peter, can’t you tell me?” Jim went on, with a sudden change of manner that became almost pleading. “It’s awful. I can’t bear to think of Eve suffering. Is it, as they say, money? Has he––gone to the dogs with drink and gambling? Peter,” he said, with sudden sternness, his feelings once more getting the better of him, “I feel like killing him if–––”