Molly looked into his keen eyes for a moment. Then she turned to Jim.
“And you?” she persisted.
“No.”
Jim turned himself about, and sat facing the girl whose whole manner had undergone so complete a change. Her eyes were alight. There was excitement and apprehension in them. There was something else. The men failed to recognise it, but Blanche had no illusion. The girl, like Jim and Larry, had read through Lightning’s subterfuge.
Molly shook her head. She was exercising a rather desperate control. She was striving for a calmness she found almost impossible.
“No,” she said, in a low voice. “How could you believe it? Lightning would ride his horse anywhere.” Her tone became less quiet. “Oh, I could laff if I wasn’t scared,” she cried. “You folk don’t know Lightning. I guess I know him through an’ through. Lightning didn’t loan your Pedro to make home on. He was looking for a beast that could make a big trail. He’s gone after Andy.”
Her manner was headlong. Her breathing had quickened. Her agitation was growing. Suddenly her hands clasped together. Then they fell apart in a movement of wringing. She turned on Blanche.
“Why—why did you lend him your horse, Blanche?” she cried. “Why—why did you let him go? Oh, it’s awful! If—if you’d told me I could have stopped him easy. He’d have done as I said. Don’t you see? I do. Oh,” she went on, turning again to Jim, “I know what you mean, talking of the peace of this valley. You reckon Lightning has headed Andy from getting the Police around. Ther’s only one way for Lightning when it comes to fixing things. If he’s after Andy McFardell he means to kill him. He will kill him. And it won’t be to head off the Police from this valley either. Oh, it’s all crazy. It’s terrible. It’ll be murder, and—and Lightning’s done it. He’s a reckless, crazy-headed savage. He’s the whitest, loyalest friend. And they’ll take him, and hang him, for—murder. I know,” she went on, in a surge of emotion. “None of you know, or can ever get the things lying back of Lightning’s head. He cares nothing for himself. Nothing for anybody but—me. He’s gone to kill Andy McFardell, and he’ll never quit till he’s done it.”
Molly stared out hopelessly at the winking lights which had seemed so beautiful, so peaceful, such a brief while before. Now everything was changed. Tears gathered unheeded as she yielded to the dread thoughts which her vision had conjured.
Jim stirred helplessly in his chair. He was yearning to take her in his arms and undo the mischief his words had brought about. But somehow he felt he had done right. And it was with Blanche’s knowledge and approval he had acted. He looked over at Blanche. She was calmly watchful. All that had happened she had foreseen. And, as certainly as it had happened, she knew the effect would swiftly pass.