"I won't! I'm going to see if that money he got from Fogg yesterday is here."
"He put it in the bank of course, Ben; he wouldn't run the risk of keeping it in the house."
"You go down stairs or I'll make you," he threatened.
"What do you want the money for--to pay a gambling debt to Arkwright?"
"Arkwright!" he screamed at her. "It's always Arkwright! But I'll tell you, this money isn't for him. Instead of troubling me, why don't you go to that puler, Justin? He'll be glad to see you, maybe; I'm not. So clear out."
"My half-brother, _he_ says; I've not acknowledged the relationship yet!"
She could do nothing with him, and she retreated down the stairs. For some time she heard him walking about; then he descended and left the house. When he was gone she went up to the room and found that he had tried to re-arrange the papers, but had made a mess of it. She put them away as well as she could, and closed the drawers and the safe. She did not believe that he had secured any money, but she did not know. And she passed a bad night, not knowing whether to acquaint Davison with this latest of Ben's escapades or not.
Justin had found Sloan Jasper one of the most troublesome of the water users. Jasper was almost as hard to please as William Sanders; and only the day before Sanders had denounced Justin as being in league with the company to defraud the farmers. For these reasons Justin always approached the farms of these men with trepidation. Trouble was brewed on each visit.
The trouble which brewed at Sloan Jasper's on this particular occasion was, however, wholly unexpected, and of quite a different kind. Jasper came out to the trail with an anxious air.
"Mary is in the house and wants you to stop in and see her."
Justin dismounted to enter the house. He had not known that Mary was at home.
"It's about Ben," said Jasper, "and I wish he was in hell! The way he is carryin' on is killin' my girl by inches."
With this stout denunciation of Ben ringing in his ears Justin went in to see Mary. She had been crying. Jasper followed him into the house and stood within the doorway, in an uneasy, angry attitude, holding his soiled hat in his hands.
"I wanted to see you about Ben," said Mary, rising to greet Justin.