“Mm-m-m-m. He own bank. Bimeby he say no more money. Nobody can pay. Dios, he take much! Well? Blaze, I hear funny t’ing in town. Strange cowboy come yesterday. He’s have tro’ble with Van Deen and yo’ng Marsh. He’s knock hell out from Van Deen and he’s keek Marsh from de saloon. Madre de Dios, I’m soree to miss it!”
“That sounds interestin’,” grinned Blaze. “Know who he is, Jules?”
“No. But I’m hear one more t’ing. Two cowboy talk and one says ‘I see you at meeting to-night at JK ranch.’”
“A meetin’ at the JK, eh? I wonder what for, Jules.”
“I’m hear no more. Maybe jus’ party; maybe cowman go talk. I’m not invite. Damn Injun no good for talk, anyway.”
“Talk ain’t everythin’, Jules. If the whole bunch was as square as you are⸺”
“I’m not civilise, Blaze; jus’ damn Injun. Well, I’m go doctor seek horse now.”
Blaze rode to Medicine Tree that night after supper. Jules had aroused his curiosity in speaking about a meeting, and Blaze wanted to see what he could find out about it. He dismounted at a hitchrack across the street from the livery stable, and was about to walk away from his horse when he heard some one ride from the stable. He stopped short, as the horse and rider came out in the street, and as they passed the lighted window across from him, he saw that the rider was a woman.
She swung to the left on a short side street, and he knew that she must be heading toward the Kelton ranch. Was it Jane Kelton, he wondered? Something seemed to tell him that it wasn’t Jane; that she wouldn’t be taking that ride home in the dark alone.
He stepped back, untied his horse and swung into the saddle. The moon was just coming up, silvering the tops of the hills, as he swung out on the JK road. He rode at a stiff gallop until he caught sight of the rider ahead, and then slowed down. It was a little over two miles from town to the JK.