Charlevoix county herald., 1920-07-02

ger of their position. All the blood Of
fighting race surged through her
veins, and she was conscious Of no
fear, only of wild exultation. a
strange desire to win. AS she turned
she faced Cavendish, only vaguely visi-
BILE in the twilight caused by the closed
window.
Are you hurt"
"NO-nOt-nOt much. He knocked
oil the wind out of me. l. I'm all right
now"
"Get up theni There's fighting
enough ahead to make you forget that.
What happened?"
"He-he kicked me, guess. IL
don't exactly know. l heari yoI 80
past rs INTO that other room, and-and
just turned my head to see. The next
l knew l was on the floor. l thought
was going to faint Did l get him
With the knife?'-
mo, it's over there, and am afraid
1 didn't touch him either; 1t was all so
sudden ] got no aim. DO you hear
those voices? There must be a dozen
Of the band outside already"
He looked up at her, his glance al
most vacant, and she could but per-
ceive how his chin shook.
"What shall we do2"
"Do" She gripped his SHOULDER.
"Are you man and ask that? We
will fighti Did you imagine l would
ever surrender myself into the hands
Of that devil after what has hap
pened? / would rather die; yes, /
will die before he ever puts hand on
me. And what about you, Mr.. Caven-
dish? Are you going to lie there mop
Ing? Answer mel thought you were
"A gentleman"
The words were like blow in his
face, and under their sting he stag
gered to his feet; scarlet blazed In
both his cheeks.
"You have no right to say that to
me-" he said angrily. 'I'm not that
kind"
81 know It," she admitted, "but you
lose your nerve; this isn't your game.
Well, 1t isn't mine either, for the mat
ter Of that. Nevertheless II has got
to be played, and we're going to play
1t together. Those fellows will be at
that door presently-just as soon as
Mendez tells them who are inside here
They'll try us once and If we can beat
them back, that will give us breath
Ing spell, Two of us ought to hold
them for some time"
There was a shouting of commands
without In Spanish, punctuated by
oaths, the meaning Of which the girl
alone understood. She leaned for
ward, her eyes on the door, the cooked
revolver held ready. She had meant
what she said to Cavendish; to her
mind death was far preferable to any
surrender to that Infatuated Mexican;
she expected DEATH, but one hope yet
buoyed her up-W estcott. He would
come; she had faith In that-and he
would find she had fought to the end,
even II he came too late. She buried
her face In her hands, sitting q sob
that shook her body, yet when she lift
ed her head again there was no glim-
mer Of tears In her eyes and her
cheeks were crimson, She waited mo-
tionless, scarcely seeming To breathe
the statue of woman at bay.
All this was but for moment, mo-
ment of swift thought, of equally swift
decision. The next Cavendish stood
beside her, grasping the shotgun, no
longer victim of weakness, his eyes
meeting hers eagerly.
Il could only find twelve cartridges"
he exclaimed, "but l know how to use
those"
He took step forward and held out
his hand.
"Forgive me, Miss Donovan" he
pleaded. "Really do not know what
makes me like that, hut you would
make man out of anybody"
Her firm. slim fingers met his eager
ly, her eyes instantly glowing In ap.
probation.
"Of course I forgive you" she ex-
claimed. "Your fear is no greater
than my own. l am a woman and
, dread this sort of thing. All that gives
me courage is the knowledge that
death is preferable to dishonor." her
voice lost Its firmness, "and-and my
faith In man."