Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-01-17

\.
Bile ravines. Sometimes the animal
stumbled and fell with its master,
sometimes they arose together, but
the man was needless of NIL except his
haste, fnsensible to the rain, which
smote him Dlindingly, and to the wind,
which seized him sayagely upon the
ridges or gasped ut him in the gull
lies with exhausted malice. At last he
gained the plateau and saw the road
house light beneath, so drove his heels
Into the TANKS OF the wind broken
creature, which lunged forward game
! ~. he felt the pony rear and, drop
away beneath him. paving and scram-
bling, and instinctiyely kicked his feet
free from the stIrrups, striving to
throw himself out Of the saddle and
clear of the thrashing hoofs. 1t seem
| ed that he turned over In the air be-
fore something smote him, and he lay
still, his gaunt, dark face upturned to
the rain, while about him the storm
screamed exultantly.
The moment Struve disappeared into
the outer room Helen darted to the
window. 1t was merely single sash,
nailed fast and immovable, but selling
one Of the little stools beside the stove
she thrust it through the glass, letting
In a smother Of wind and water. Be
fore she could escape Struve bounded
into the room, his face livid with an
ger, his voice hoarse and furious
But as he began to denounce her he
paused in amazement, for the girl had
drawn Cherry's weapon and leveled II
at him. She was very pale, and her
breast heaved MS from swift run,
while her wondrous gray eyes were
lit with light no man had ever seen
there before, glowing like two jewels
whose hearts contained the pent up
passion of centuries. She had altered
as though under the def hand Of a
| master sculptor, her nostrils growing
thin and arched, her lips tight pressed
and pitiless, her head poised proudly.
The rain drove In through the shat
tered window, over and past her, while
the cheap red curtain dashed and whip.
| ped her rs though in gleeful applause
Her bitter adherence Of the man made
her voice sound strangely unnatural
as she commanded:
Don't dare to stop mew She NOV
ed toward the door, motioning him to
retreat before her, and he obeyed, rec
ognizing the danger Of her GOODNESS
| She did not note the calculating
| treachery of his glance, however, nor
fathom the purposes he had in mind.
| Out on the rain swept mountain the
| PROSTATE rider had regained his senses
| and now was crawling painfully to-
ward the roadhouse. Seen through the
dark he would have resembled some
misshapen, creeping monster, for he
dragged himself, reptile-like, close te
the ground. But as he came closer the
man heard cry which the wind seem.
ed guarding from his ear, and, hearing
1t, he rose and rushed blindly forward,
staggering like wounded beast.
Helen watched her captive closely as
he backed through the door before her,
for she dared not lose sight of him I'M,
til free. The middle room was lighted
by glass lamp OH the bar, and Its
rays showed that the front door was
secured by a large iron bolt. She
thanked heaven there was no lock and
key.
Strive had retreated until his back
was to the counter, Offering no word,
making no move, but the darting
brightness of his eyes showed that he
was alert and planning. But when the
door behind Helen, urged by the wind
through the broken easement, banged
to the man made his first lightning like
sign. He dashed the lamp to the floor,
where 1t burst like an eggshell, and
darkness leaped into the room as an
animal pounces. Had she been calmer
or. had time for an instant's thought
Helen would have hastened back to
the light but she was midway to her
liberty and actuated by the sole desire
| to break out into the open air, so
| plunged forward. Without warning
she was hurled from her feet by a
body which came out of the darkness
upon her. She fired the little gun, but
/ Strives arms closed about her, the
weapon was wrencled from her hand
and she found herself fighting against
him, breast to breast, with the fury Of
desperation. His wine burdened breath
beat into her face, and she felt herself
bound to him rs though by hoops,
while the touch of his cheek against
hers turned her into terrified, insen-
safe animal which fought with every
ounce Of its strength and every nerve
OF its body. She screamed once, but 1t
was not like the cry Of woman. Then
the struggle went on in silence and
utter blackness, Strive holding her
like a gorilla till she grew faint and
her head began to whirl, while darling
lights drove past her eyes, and there
was the roar of q cataract in her ears
She was strong girl, and her ripe
young body, untried until this moment,
answered in every fiber, so that she
wrestled with almost n mans strength
and he had hard shift to hold her. But
SO violent an encounter could not last.
Helen felt herself drifting free from
the earth and losing grip of NIL things
tangible, when at last they tripped and
fell against the inner door. This gave
way, and Mt the same moment the
mans strength departed us though II
We're thing of darkness and dared
not face the light that streamed over
them. She tore herself from his clutch
and staggered into the supper room,
her loosened hair falling in cleaning
! torrent about her shoulders, while he
arose from his knees and came toward
her again, gasping:
"I'll show YOU who's master herev'