South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-22

lie was striving % KISS her and
she. face crushed against his rough
shirt, fought him like the primeval
female every woman becomes in
ike circumstance. Her right hand
c.awed upward at his face Her
left arm. doubled between their two
bodies. she strove 90 work free so
that she could grab his sun.
Rafe received three distinct
clawings that considerably altered
the appearance Of one side Of his
face. before ne was able 10 cUnfine
those active fingers.
Here" ne bawled IN a fury.
"Iu fx you."
lie tried 20 seize her by the throat
and his thumb slipped by mistake
into her mouth She promptly
clamped down hard on the thumb.
With "a yell. Rafe released his grip
or her body and worked a thumb
and ring finger into her cheeks in a
frantic effort 10 force open her lock-
ed jaws
He jumped back against the wall
dragging her with him, and began
TO shake her as a dog does a rat
.
that for which it surely must have
+ been originally made. For. a. his
/ shoulders struck the wall. his head
/ knocked away the bracket that held
I the clock. Involuntarily he ducked
/ his head. It was the worst thing
he could have done. giving, as IL
( did. the clock an extra foot to fall.
/ 1t fell. One corner struck him fair
/ ~ on the temple and knocked him
cold as a wedge.
/ When HazeTs Keeling senses had
/ reestablished their equilibrium. she
/ found herself on the floor, lying
/ across the inert legs Of Rafe Tuckle-
/ ton. She raised herself on her two
arms and looked at him. He was
/ breathing very lightly.
She dragged herself on hands and
/ knees 10 where he had thrown his
/ siX-shoOter.
Rafe groaned a little. He rolled
over and sat up, his chin sagging
forward on his chest. lie moved
his head and looked at her vacant
: ly. The blod ran down his cheek
and dripped slowly off his chin.
The light of reason glared OF a
sudden in Rates. eyes. She could
see that he was absorbing the situa-
ton from every angle.
I'll give you FIVE minutes TO pull
yourself together and get out" she
announced clearly. IF you're still
here by the time I've counted three
hundred I'll oegin to shoot"
Rafe started to go by the time she
reached sixty. With the slx-shoot-
er pointing at the small OF his back.
her finger on the trigger. step by
step she drove him out of the house
to where he had left his horse.
Hazel watched him ride away and
after a little become at one with the
moonllt landscape. She walked
back 10 the house She felt that she
was taking enormous strides. IN
reality she was stepping short and
staggering badly. She went into
the kitchen. She closed the door.
dropped the bar into place and fell
into the nearest chair.
My Cod" she said aloud. Il
. wonder what will happen next ?"
CHAPTER XIV.
Now that we've got Dan out of
Jail" the district attorney patter-
ed on, we've got 10 glom onto Bill
Wingo, and the sooner the quicker.
Ne, I'm going out 70 Walton's to-
night and question Hazel"
Wen So" said sam Larder de-
cidedly II amt a heap attracted
by your methods with the ladies,
and I intend TO see the girl gets a
square deal"
Me, too" chimed in Felix Craft.
The district attorney was none
too well pleased and showed IL.
The moon was high in the
heavens when the three men came
to the mouth of the draw leading
10 the Walton ranch. A quarter
mile up this draw they came upon
man standing beside a horse. He
proved to be the town marshaI. Red
i Herring.
1t amt necessary for you to be
watching the Walton ranch" said
the crotchety district attorney.
Il got as much right TO the re.
ward as the next one. I guess flar-
ed the marshal If I wanna watch
the ranch. I guess I got a right 10
do that, too. You don't want to
cherish any idea that YOU own the
earth and me- too, Artie Rale."
Two hundred yards short OF the
bend in the draw that concealed the
ranch house from view the district
attorneys horse which was leading.
snorted at something that lay across
his path, and SHE'D with great vigor,
coming within a red hair Of throw
ing the district attorney off on his
ear.
The district attorney swore and
. jerked the animal back. Then he
, dismounted hurriedly and ran for
. ward to view at close range the OBJ
ject that had startled the horse.
The three others pulled W and
followed his example.
My Gawdi' shrilled the district
attorney. It's RATE Tuckletoh!"
Continued in Our Next Issue.