The evening world., 1912-12-16

spring
She fred. aining at the lower sdgs OF
the scAS& mat sasssd at his throat This
smoke from the pistol blinded her; she
hoard hAs laugh. heard the rush Of his
feet A. he hurled himself forward. Ter
ror stricken over her failure TO hit him
she dropped the pistol and wthirled.
Grasping the edge OF the door AMI
siammlng u shut IN his face.
She felt his weight against A. but he
had been taken by surprise by the move
ment: there was tho strength Of despcr-
alton In her body and she held the door
closed against MIN while she showed the
fastenings into place.
Then. suddenly overcome. she leaned
weakly against the lamb. her heart
humping hard. her nerves sinsfing.
For . long time she did not move.
and thsre came no sound from ne
other ads Of the door 10 tell her OF
Yurna's movements. There was = Wild
hope In her heart that he had gone.
but prssertiy. becoming q little caimer.
abe pressed her ear aga4sst the door.
There was no doubt Of Yuma's pres
ence: she could hesr him stepping softly
about tho room. Had there been
window In the room In which she HAD
Imprisoned herself she might have es-
capped, but unfortunately there was not.
She fell to thinking OF the revolver
she had dropped when Yuma had sprung
upon her. II must have dropped very
close to the door. Had Yuma picked II
up7 There was . chance that he had
not.
II the weapon were stiil there and
she could open the door and secure It
and close the door again she would be
In q position to defend herself. ahe
- IA -
Yuma should burst the door open she
would be at his mercy. She must get
the revolver.
Convinced Of this she stood for some
little time Mt tbs door. her ear pressed
against II. listening for any sound that
might tell her of the whereabo Of
Yuma In the cabin. She heard nothing.
Perhaps he had sone7 But she Listened
u while longer. determined to be certain
before loosening the fastenings of tho
door. sllence-a premonftory silence
flled the room beyond the door. She
could hear nothing except her own rapid
breathing, Presently she heard a horse
whinny. Was Yuma At the horsese II
seemed Incredible that any man should
visit tho cabin purposety to attack her.
Perhaps Yuma had only intended to
Brighten her; no had said that Dunlavey
had told him to follow her. but she
believed that Dunlavey. In spite OF his
reputation for lawlessness and trckery.
was not 90 unmanly as 70 incite the
halfbreed TO attack her. He may have
told him to steal the horses-she could
believe that Of him!
But for a long time. In spite OF the
quieting influence OF these thoughts. shc
kept her ear pressed against the door.
Then, moved by sudden impulse-an
accession OF courage inspired by the con-
tinued silence-she cautiously loosened
the fastenings and swung the door slow
ly open.
Her revolver lay close and with n
swift movement she reached for II. As
her fingers Tasped Its butt she heard
a slight sound and Yuma was upon her
from behind, pinning her arms 10 her
sides sh. felt his breath on her neck.
heard his laugh. exnltant and derisive.
mocklns her, His right hand. gripping
hers tightly was slipping slowly down
toward the hand that held the revolver.
She struggled desperately, sdtirmlng
and twisting in his grasp, silently
marching her strength against his.
Finding this hopeless and feellAe his
hand gradually slipping toward the re-
yolver. she suddenly raised her hand
toward her face. bringing Yuma's hand.
sim on her arm, with IT, Then she
dropped her head to his arm near tho
wrist ami sank her teeth sayagely hito
tho flesh.
Yuma howled In anguish. loosening MS
hold monientarily In an instant she
had wrenched herself free and had
bounded to the centre OF tho room, plsc-
ing the kitchen table between herself
and her assallaut.