“Curse him!” cried Ashton, his jealousy flaring at the remembrance.
“Now you’re talking!” approved Gowan. “That shows you like her like I do. You’re not going to stand for her losing her fortune.”
“Her fortune?”
“By his flooding us off our range.”
“Ah––as for that, I have been thinking it over. She told me Mr. Knowles owns five sections. If water is put on them––Western Colorado fruit lands are very valuable, you know.”
“That’s a lie. Water can’t make five sections worth a range like ours. But supposing it could––” the puncher leaned towards Ashton, his eyes glaring with the cold malignancy of a striking rattlesnake’s––“supposing it could, how about us letting her lose her good name?”
“Good God!” gasped Ashton. “It can’t come to that!”
“Can’t it? can’t it? Where’s your eyes? And him a married man! The––” Gowan cursed horribly. 277
“You really believe it!” cried Ashton, convinced by the other’s outburst.
“Believe it? I know it!” declared Gowan. “If you thought half as much of her as I do––”