The herald., 1920-12-16
CHAPTER III.
The Picture Of a Baby.


child. her mother lay almost within
touching distance. II Urinh carried
out his plans, then the horrid fellow
there would soon claim her as his
woman. That thought frightened her
so that she stepped back us the new
conner came upon the deck.
whats the matter. Ry?" he asked
quite casually.
He's killed mummy" burst forth
the girl. And II both you fcllers don't
want to get pinched, you'd better
scoot often this boat"
Uriah laughed. and RegSte's high
pitched cackle followed.
"Reen giving your woman a little
! discipline. en-, pal?" he demanded,
. turning on Devon. We'll. they all
need II now and then. But she's the
uveliest breathing corpse l ever saw.
/ Did you hit 'er. Deyr'
yep" growled the other man. "and
I'm goin' TO beat Tony, too. The I'm
pudent brat says she wouldn't marry
you If you was the last man Twin.
You watch the brat there, Rege, while
duck Eide In the cabin"
Tonnibel, wide-eyed and suffering.
saw her father lift her mother up in
his brawny arms and carry her down
stairs none too gently. When he had
disappeared. n throat sound made her
swing her eyes TO the other man. He
was contemplating her with a smile,
c1t.vh hated IN
men. His white teeth seemed like
many cleaning knives, sharp. strong
and overhanGng his red lips spread
ing away from them.
He took a step toward her and
stopped.
"Why so much fuss about nothing,
my little One" he said. cooling.
Daddy said l had TO marry you"
breathed the girl. brushing back a
stray curl from her brow. "But !
don'tl I'm goin' TO stay with my
mother on the Dirty Mary. There
amt no law forcing a girl To marry a
man she don't like. And hate you,
see7 HuhT
"WhO spoke Of lawT smiled
Brown. 81 didn't! But I do know. my
little Tony girl, that you'll say very
meek yes when l get through with
you"
Tonnibel suddenly shuddered and a
hopeless, helpless feeling went in
waves over her. Oh, TO be anywhere
In Gods clear, clean world Away
from those cleaning lustful eyesl But
she saw no opportunity 10 escape.
Reginald Brown was blocking the
small space through which she must
fly If she were to be saved at ALL She
knew very well If she could hide for
little while the two men would drink
until they slept Then she could come
back and help her mother. Plainly
she had heard the woman weeping be
low in the cabin, and even more plain.
" to her suffering ears came DevOn's
blows, and after that-silence.
Her heart thumped like a hammer
against her side. Behind her lay the
shining lake. And one hasty glance
over her shoulder only added to hel
fear. There was not a sign Of bOat
anywhere. She was frantic enough Il
scream If II would have done her any
good.
.. II think I'll kiss you, my little bird.
said Reggie, suddenly, narrowing hi:
, yes. you're pretty enough for any
one to want to kiss. By Jove. l never
realized until today Just how much
; liked you. II kissed you, well-per
: haps you'd change your mind about
: about things"
. Tonnibel slid backward to the boa
: rail. When she touched II, she whirle,
about and dove headlong into the lake
When Reginald Brown saw the girl
. feet disappear under the water. he ut
tered an oath and cried out He hadn'
expected such an action on her part
He ran to the cabin steps ant
: screamed to Devon.
"She's IN the lake, Ry," he shivere'
as the other man sprang to the deck.
When Tonnibel felt the water owe
her, she swept to the lakes bottom
!. with one long stroke. Then deftly sh
rid herself Of her dress skirt and be
gan to swim swiftly under the water
They were tense minutes that tn
two men stood waiting, until suddenl
beyond them to the south a curly hea
came above the waters edge. The
they leapt to the shore and raced tC
ward the place she must land. T
the painting girl II was a race for life
Suddenly, like a flashing glimps
from Heaven, the words, "Stand St
and See the Salvation Of the Lord,
floated before her eyes like flame 9
gold. Philip MacCauley's deep voiC
seemed to speak them in her ringin
ears Immediately after. "GOddy." sh
: groaned. salvation Of the Lord. oil
/! darlin' Salvation"
Just then her feet touched the pei
bles on the bottom OF the lake. Wit
y one wild leap she was on the shor
\ and up the bank. Criah screaming {
her to stop.
She heard the two men crashin
after her. That her short, swift leaI
= could outdistance them for long II 81
, tried for the boulevard. she had I
hope. But all about ner were gial
friends with outstretched arms, offe
ing her shelter. For one instant 81
paused, then sprang into the al
caught the lower branch Of gre
H. 4.