Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-22

You're so scared of me, you can't
hardly breathe" he said calmly. II
don't like iii girls to be scared of
me, SO you can just get you another
plate and cup and saucer and sit
down there on the other side of the
table and eat your supper with me-"
To eat supper with her uncle's
murderer, Here was a grotesque
jape of fate. 1t was unthinkable.
Absolutely. The man OWNED m
thing of what "a passing in her
mind.
"All in the line of business. iii
girl" he said, with a backward jerk
of his head toward the front room
where he had killed her uncle. Il
didn't have a thing against him
personally"
There were dishes here on the
table" she babbled Historically
"They found them here after-after
showing how he'd fed you first,
and"
Sure he fed me-" he interrupted.
II was hungry, hungrier than am
now. Ala same, you gotta eat sup
per with me-
He twisted her wrist to emphasize
his wish. She uttered a little moan.
Don't, Oh. don't hurt me any
more. I'll do what you want"
Beaten, body and soul, she went
to the cupboard and got herself plate
and cup and saucer knife and fork
and spoon.
She sat down opposite the man
and tried to eat. 1t required every
atom OF will power to induce her
throat muscles to permit her to
swallow. Dan Slike watched her
with savage satisfaction. He found
the situation intensely amusing. To
murder her uncle and later eat a
meal with the niece. What a joke!
II saw two mules and a horse In
the corral when | came by" he re-
sumed. Looks like a good horse
better than the one l left up in the
timber. I'll ride your horse and
lead the other. Listen, ] expect to-
morrow sometime you'll have a few
gents a-callin' or you. It'll likely
take those Golden Bar citizens till
about then to pick up my trail"
CHAPTER XIII
"You see," said Dan Slike, as he
topped his mount, II amt been hard
on you. | only took what / needed.
Think of that and be happy"
He whirled the horse and rode
away.
Hazel remained standing beside
the corral gate. Suddenly she vas
conscious of a great WEAKNESS.
With dragging steps she returned TO
the house. When she returned to
the kitchen there was a man stand
ing in the middle of the room.
Nothing had the power to surprise
her now. She would not have been
amazed had the devil himself popped
into the room. The man turned ar
her entry. He was Rafe Tuckleton.
what do you want?" she asked
l~ifelessly.
"Who's been here?" he demanded,
pointing an accusing finger at the
table. 1.-TWO plates, two cups, two
| saucers-who you been entertain
ingY"
Entertaining! Good Lord! Hazel
sat down on the wood-boX and
laughed Historically.
He was around the table and con
| fronting her in three strides. who's
been here?"l he kept at her.
Dan Slike," she said with n spas
modic giggle.
you're a liar" he told her
promptly. Dan Slike didn't come
this way. He-he went another
that's whatsamatter."
III SaAu "a 'iA5o
| He had loved her-once. What a
! queer, queer world it was. Every
body and everything at cross-pur-
poses. Yet there was a reason for
it all. Must be. Ever n reason for
Rafe. She looked up at Rafe. He
vas glaring down at her with a most
! villainous expression on his lean
features.
"Say, whatsa use OF lynn to me ?
You're an odd number, by all &C
counts. but you amt so odd you
could sit here and eat and drink and
carry on with your uncle's murderer.
! You can't tell me that"
She was regarding him with curl
GUS yes. Il thought o always
said Dan Slike didn't kill my uncle?'
"Well-uh-you see, everybody
else seems to think he did. And
ah-maybe l was wrong.
you had Bill Wingo here, and
we'll settle this Wingo business right
now. This Tip O'Gorman murder
has queered him for keeps. Sooner
or later he'll hang for it. You'd look
fine wouldn't you, the widow of "a
Don't say it," she u him short.
Billy Wingo is no murderer. How
ever, you can set you mind at rest.
I'm not likely to marry Billy Wingo.
OF anybody else"
His eye savage and mean, held
hers steadily. Il come over here
tonight to get you. I'm taking you
back with me tonight to my ranch"
you're taking me to your ranch!'
she gasped. Me-"
He nodded. you, nobody else"
She laughed harshly without a
note of hysteria. You're two hun
bred years behind the times. Men
don't carry off their women any
more"
Now for the first time she sme!t
his breath. 1t was rank with the
raw odor of Whiskey. So that was
what had given him the wild idea
Of carrying her off by force, Tbs
man was drunk. Sober, he was bal
enough. Drunk, he was capable OF
anything.
She reached stoVeward for the lid
litter. Rafe seized her wrist and
jerked her sidewise.
He was striving to kiss her ami
she. face crushed against his rough
shirt, fought him like the primeVel
female every woman becomes in like
circumstances. Her right hand
clawed upward at his face. Her Lett
arm. doubled between their two
bodies, she strove to work free 50
that she could grab his gun.
Rafe received three distinct claw
ings that considerably altered the
of one side of his faca
before he washable to confine those
active fingers,