“You are trying to make her unhappy with her life, with your word pictures of the cities. You wouldn’t marry her. To you she is a pretty girl, ignorant as a savage, something to play with. Let me tell you something, Jack Hill.” Big Medicine leaned closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. “If you harm her in any way, by words or by actions, I’ll kill you. That is my promise.”
Big Medicine turned away and went back into the house, while Jack humped in his chair, his lips shut tightly, while the cigarette between his fingers, still glowing, was crushed to powder.
Inwardly he cursed Big Medicine, but deep in his heart he knew that Big Medicine spoke the truth. And he knew that the big man would keep his promise. But he hated Big Medicine now. It was true that he had filled Wanna’s ears with tales of faraway places, many of them untrue, but today was the first time that she had intimated that she would care to see these places.
From inside his shirt he drew out a little silk-covered parcel, hardly larger than an ordinary pocketbook. He seemed careful that no one might see what he was doing. Twisting the thing in his right hand, he opened a flexible corner and poured a tiny bit of the white powder on his left wrist.
He lifted his left hand toward his face, an innocent enough motion, brought the tiny bit of powder in contact with his nostrils—a sniff—and it was gone. The silken bag was put back inside his shirt. Thereupon Jack Hill shrugged his shoulders, sighed deeply, contentedly, and became at peace with the world.
Just one person saw what he had done—Big Medicine. He had stood at the kitchen window, wondering what effect his warning would have, and he had seen Jack Hill take his dose of cocaine. Big Medicine turned away, shaking his head, but resolving to be rid of Jack Hill as soon as possible.
Hashknife came up from the corral and stopped for a moment to chat with Jack.
“Feelin’ better, eh?” he commented. “Yore color is better today. This is sure a great place to get well, pardner. It cured me of rheumatism in a week.”
“I feel pretty good,” replied Jack, none too graciously. “I’m all fed up on this place, though, and the sooner I get out the better it will suit me.”
“Yeah? Well, that’s too bad, Hill. They’ve been mighty good to yuh here. Mrs. Hawkworth sure done a lot for you.”