San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-24
Begin Here Today.

wrecked. Lenore is engaged to be
married 10 Ned. They lind the island
inhabited by a man named Doomsdorf
and lis Indian wife.
| Doonsdorf takes Ned and the girls
nr;soncrs AMI makes Bess and Ned
| Slave for him. Lenorc is allowed to
holm the squaw with the housework.
hut Bess and Ned are driven by their
master until they fall unconscious.
The prisoners are allowed to build
=, cabin and. after it is finished, Bess
and Ned are sent on different trap
ming roltes. They have several mar
row escapes from death. Together
thcv plah how to escape from the ISL
| and. When Doomsdorf becomes in
| fotuated with Bess and makes al
yances to her Ned interferes. Now
| 90 on with the story.
"There's no need of going far
ther." he said in his deep, rumbling
voice. There was no Iced of even
coming here. You seem to be for
getting, you two, where you are-all
| the things I told you at first" -.
He paused, and his voice had
dropped, and the tone was strange
and even, dreadful to hear, when he
! spoke again. "I've evidently been
4 too easy with you," he went on. "Tll
see that ! correct that fault in the
future. You, Ned, made a serious
| mistake when you interfered in this
matter tonight. I'll see if I can't
teach Won TO keep your place. And
Bess-long ago 1 told you that your
body and soul were mine-t0 do with
what 1 liked. You seemed to have
forgotten-but I intend that you will
call it 20 mind-again."
But Ned still faced him when he
! paused, eyes steadfast, his face an
iron gray in the wan light. His train
ing had been hard and true, and he
still found strength to 1tand erect.
81 want to tell you this-in reply"
he answered in the clear, firm voice
of one who has mastered fear. ave
know we'll enough what you can do
to us. But that doesn't mean that
we're going to yield to you-to every
one of your evil wishes. Life isn't
so pleasant to either Of US that we'll
submit to everything in order to live.
No matter what you do to mel know
what I'll do to you if you try to
carry out your wicked designs by
force"
Doomsdorf eyed him calmly, but
the smile Of contempt was wholly
gone from his lips. you'll show
fight?" he asked.
with every ounce I've got! You
may master me-with every advan-
tage of weapons an physical
strength-but you'll have to kill me
first. Bess will kill herself before
she'll yield to you. You won't be bet
ter off-you'll simply have no one to
do your trapping for you. 1t isn't
worth it, Doomsdorf."
He eyed them moment. coolly and
casually. when / want anything
Ned, / want it bad enough to pay all
I've got for it." he said IN remark
ably even tone. "Don't presume that
/ value your lives so much that III
turn one step from my course. Be
sides. Ned-you won't be here ]"
Ned's eyes widened, as he tried to
read his meaning. Doomsdorf laughed
softly in the silence. "You won't be
here." he repeated. "You fool-do
you think I'd let you get in my way?
1t will rest as it is tonight. Tomor-
row morning you start out to tend
your traps-and you WI tend Bess'
lines as we'll, as your own. She will
stay herewith me-from now on"
Ned felt his muscles hardening to
steel. IL won't leave her to you"
"You won't? Don't make any mis-
take on that point. If you are not
on your way by sun-up, you get a
hundred-from the knJut. You
won't be Lble to leave for some time
after that-but neither will you be
able to interfere with what doesn't
concern you. I'll give you a few in
the dawn-just as sample to show
what they're like. Nor am / afraid
of Bess killing herself. It's cold and
dark here. but it's colder and darker
there. She'll stand lot before
she'll do that.
"That's definlte?" Ned asked.
"The truest words l ever spoke. ]
have never gone back on a promise
yet"
And believe me. I won't go back
on mine. If that's all you have to
| say"
THAT'S quite all. Think it over
you'll find it isn't so bad. And now
good night"
He bowed to them, in mock polite
ness. Then he turned back into his
cabin.
Fo. a moment his two prisoners
stood inert, utterly. motionless in the
wan light. Ned started to turn t.
her, still held by his own dark
thoughts, but at the first glance of
her white, set face, he whirled in the
most breathless amazement. 1t was
in no way the stricken, terrified coun-
tenance that he had seen few mo-
ments before. The lips we're firm, the
eyes deep and strange; even in the
half-light he could see her look Of
memorable purpose.
Some great resolve had come &c
her-some sweeping EN- ton thai
might be akin to hope. Was she
planning suicide? Was that the
meaning of this new look of iror
resolution in her face? He could con
ceive of no other explanation in self
inflicted death alone lay deliveranc'
from Doomsdorf's lust. He dared no
hope for any happier freedom.
He reached cropping hands to hers
"Iou don't mean--he gasped. hard
ly able TO make his lips move il
speech-"you don't intend"
ITO kill myself? Not yet. By
long way" The girls hand slippe'
cautiously out from the pocket of he
jacket, showing him what seemed I
| no a small sor,ara hox nf FIN Ru