The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-06-14

She clawed and Kicked him, bit and
mauled him, and so thoroughly SUBJ
| dued him that he was glad to break
away, during moment when he man.
aged to avoid her rushes, and run pell
nell upstairs. .@
| He shouted for his companions, but
they had heard the rumpus in the
| room below and made their escape
down a long passageway that led
| from the entrance door, When Chock-
TO, i'll his mad flight. jerked open the
door that led out of the building, young
Lund was waiting.
| For q few seconds the Hindu was
at the mercy Of trained athlete.
| One stiff and quick punch from Lund's
! strong right arm sent the Hindu reel
ing lack into the hall. Another sent
him crashing against the glass in the
door leading to the stairs down which
Peg had been dragged. A third punch
lifted the Hindu through the door
and sent him flying down the stairs.
Young Lund followed in twinkling
! and in two jumps was downstairs,
| ready to give the Hindu another bat
| tering. But Peg was there waiting,
| and Chockro was glad to make an
| other escape from the infuriated girl.
| The Hindu avoided young Lund and
dashed upstairs.
Pegs spells always ended as quickly
| as they began; and when she recov-
cred she was being held close in the
| arms Of young Lund, who soothed her
with words of love that sounded sweet
ly, indeed, to the sorely beset circus
girl.
The two lovers had but moments
respite, for Chockro, having Assem-.
bled his companions, now appeared at
the top of the stairs to descend upon
and outnunber Peg and young Lund.
In the corner OF the room there was
q door, and quickly deciding. Lund
drew Peg across the room and reached
the door just in time to open it, pass
through and slam it in the faces OF
their pursuers. .,.. ..
Good for you; good for you,'' came
the husky voice OF the Hindu family
through the door. you save me the
trouble. Now we turn the tigers in
on you and they will do the rest"
Lund put his back to the door and
tried to see through the inky dark
ness Of the room. Peg nestled close
to him. and as he slipped his arm
around her, there was cheer and cour-
age in his voice: ....
Don't be frightened, loved one. We
are together, anyhow. If harm must
come to US in this way, we are here
to face 1t together" "a ..a. .
"You dear, brave boy" she whis-
pered. And he pressed her close to
him. and in the darkness, with dan
ger electrifying the very air, he took
the kiss that her strange inheritance
had robbed him of the night before.
Young Lund and Peg stood close to
the wall, each trying to penetrate the,
darkness. Hours seemed to pass be-
fore they could accustom their sight
to the inky blackness.
Then there was a grating, rasping
sound, as If some heavy object were
being moved at the. opposite side OF
the room. They listened Breathe sly
and watched in the direction from,
which the strange sound came.
Brave as they were they were ter.
ritied to see through the darkness
pair of cleaning objects that moved
silently, close to the floor. In a.
twinkling two more cleaning spots
showed beside the other; and then
F~11
four pair CT these cleaning things.
set equal distance apart. and moving
silently, close against the floor.
At that instant the bright moon
burst from behind a cloud. Its rays
penetrated the dingy glass of two
small windows high above their
heads: its light family disclosed the
sinewy bodies Of four tigers, as they
crawled through an aperture and
sneaked into the room.
Pegs stified cry sent thrill
through young Lund. He quickly
swung her back of him with his strong
arms and stood facing the beasts as
they crouched low on the floor ana
surveyed their victims with cleaning
eyes.
There was little in the room but
some piles of old lumber, bits of
scantling and old rubbish. The faint
light shed by the moon through the
grimy window made these objects as.
sumo fantastic shapes, as young Lund
quickly searched with straining eyes
for some weapon that he might lay
hands on.
Fearing to move, waiting for the
tigers to spring, and sheltering Peg
behind him as best he could young
Lund tried by moving his feet around
to come upon some object that might
prove even a slight means of defense
His foot struck something hard
that did not move when he pressed