The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-01-31
CONTINUED from page g.,

Ter voice sound strangely unnatural
rs she commanded:
Don't dare to stop mel" She NOV.
I'd toward the door. motoning him to
petreat before her. and he obeyed. rec
sgnizing 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-
dark he would have resembled some
misshapen, creeping monster, for he
dragged himself, reptile-like, close to
the ground. But as he came closer the
man heard q cry which the wind SEEM
ed guarding from his ear, and, hearing
D. he rose and rushed blindly forward.
staggering like a 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
bill free. The middle room was lighted
by glass lamp on the bar, and its
rays showed that the front door was
secured by large iron bolt. She
thanked heaven there was no lock and
key.
Strive had retreated until his back
was to the copnter, 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 instants thought
Helen would have fastened 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 q
body which came out of the darkness
upon her. She fired the little gun, but
Strives arms closed about her, the
weapon was wrenched 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 as though by hoops,
while the touch Of his cheek against
hers turned her into a 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 q 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 n 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 q 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 all things
tangible, when at last they tripped and
fell against the inner door. This gave
way, and at the same moment the
mans strength departed as though it
were a 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 a cleaning
torrent about her shoulders, while he
arose from his knees and came toward
her again, gasping:
"I'll show you who's master here!'
CONTINUED next week.