The Hope pioneer., 1920-12-30
CHAPTER III,
The Picture of a. Baby.

uSull lulu
her throat. then seemed to cease beat
ing. There stood her father growing,
enraged and drunk. and as if she were
dead and no longer ahiS to help her
child. her mother lay almost within
touching distGace. If Uriah carried
out his plans, then the horrid fellow
there would soon claim her as his
woman. That thought frightened her
SD that she stepped back as the new
conner came upon the deck.
What's the matter. Ry?" he asked
quite casually.
He's killed mummy" burst forth
the girl. And if both YOU fellers don't
want to get pinched. you'd better
Sc"ot often this boat"
Uriah laughed. and Reggie's high
pitched cuckle followed.
Been giving your woman a little
turning on Devon. We'll. they all
need it now and then. But she's the
liveliest breathing corpse ever saw.
Did you hit 'er. Dev?"
Yep" srowled the other man. land
I'm goin' to beat Tony. too. The im-
pudent brat says she wouldn't marry
you if you was the last man livin'.
You watch the brat .here. Rege, while
/ duck Eide in the cabin
Tonnihel. wide-eyel and suffering.
SAW her father lift her mother up in
his brawny arms and carry her down
stairs. none toe gently. When he had
disappeared. a throat sound made her
swing her eyes to the other man. He
was contemplating her With a smile.
an evil smile. such as she hated in
men. His white teeth seemed like
many cleaning" knives sharp, strong
and overl,angins. his red lips spread
ing away from them.
He took Il step toward her and
stopped.
Why so much fuss about nothing,
my little one:" he said. cooling.
! 'Daddy said had to marry you,"
brcathed the girl. brushing back a
stray curl from her brow. "But I
s,"n't! I'm goin' to STAY with my
Jiother on the Dirty Mary. There
mint no law forcing II girl to marry a
man she don't like And hate you,
see? Huh?"
''Who spoke of law?' smiled
Brown. II didn't! But do know, my
little Tonygirl, that you'll say very
meek yes when l get through with
you"
Tonnihel suddenly shn,1lcred and a
hopeless. helpless feeling went in
waves over her Oh. to be anywhere
in Gods clear. clean world. Away
from those cleaning llStfu eyes But
she saw TO opportunity to escape
Reginald Brown WAS blocking the
small space through which she must
fly if she were to be saved at all. She
knew very we'll if she could hide for
little while the two men would drink
until they slept. Then she could come
hack and help her mother. Plainly
she had heard the woman weeping be-
low in the cabin. and even more plain
Iy +" her suffering ears came nevon's
blows, and after that-Silpnce.
Her heart thumped like a hammer
ngainst her side. Behind her lay the
shining lake. And one haSty glance
over her shoulder only added TO her
fear. There was not 4 sign of n boat
anywhere. She was frantic enough to
scream if it would have done her any
good.
II think I'll kiss you. my little bird"
said Reggie, suddenly. narrowing his
eyes. 'Nou're pretty enough for any
Dnc to want to kiss. BY Jove. ! never
realized until today Just how much
liked you. If kissed you. weII--per-
hapS you'd change your mind abon,z-
about things"
Tonnibel slid backward to the boat
rail. When she touched it, she wllirled
about and dove hcadlOng into the lake.
When Reginald Brown SAW the girls
feet disappear under the water. he ut
tered an oath and cried out. He hadn't
expected such an action on her part.
He ran to the cabin steps and
screamed to Devon.
''She's in the lake, Ry." he shvered
as the other man sprang to the deck.
When T0nnibel felt the water over
her. she swept to the lakes bottom
with one long stroke. Then deftly she
rid herself o. her dress skirt and be-
gun 10 swim swiftly under the water
Thes were tense minutes that the