The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-09-11
XIV

She heard Doomsdorf's heavy step
at the door.
The man came in, for an instant
standing framed in the doorway, the
light of morning behind him.
He turned CONTEMPORARY to Ned.
What's the matter?" he asked.
Startled and indignant at the
tone. Ned instinctively Strengthened
'I didn't say anything was the mat
ter. Where's Knutsen?"
"Knutsen-has gone on. He'll
didn't suit him. He went against it's
mandates the first thing. I hope it
doesn't happen again. would hate
to lose any more of you. I've other
plans in mind"
Appalled,, unbelieving, yet obeying
a racial instinct that goes back to
the roots of time, Ned dropped the
girl from his arms and leaped to his
feet. His eyes blazed with a magnifi-
cant burst of a fury, and mighty
oath was at his lips. You" he
began.
Yet no second word came. Doofns-
DORIS great body lunged across the
room with the ferocity and might of
a charging bear. His arm went out
like a javelin. great fingers extended.
and clutched with the effect of a
mighty mechanical trap the younger
mans throat. He caught him as he
might catch a vicious dog he intend
ed to kill, snatching him off his feet.
Ned's arm dashed out impotently, and
forcing through with his own body
Doomsdorf thrust him into the corner
For a moment ne battered him back
and forth, hammering his head against
the wall, then let him fall'to a huddled
heap on the floor.
IGNORES voice raised in a piercing
scream of terror; but a fiercer instinct
took hold of Bess. The impulse that
moved her was simply that to fight
to death, now as well as later. A
heavy hammer, evidently a tool re-
Gently in use by Doomsdorf, lay on
the window sill, and she sprang for it
with the strength Of desperation. But
her hand had hardly touched 1t before
she herself was hurled back against
the log wall behind her.
The sauaw had not sat supine in
this stress. With the switfness and
dexterity of an animal. she had
sprung to intercept the deadly blow,
hurting the girl back by her hand upon
the latter's shoulder.
Except for the huddled heap in the
blood-spattered corner Of the cabin,
1t was as if it had never happened. The
squaw was again stolid, moving slow
" back to her chair; Doomsdorf
breathed quietly and evenly. The two
girls stood staring in speechless hor-
ror.
IT hope there won't be any more
of that" Doomsdorf said quietly. 1.-The
sooner we get these little matters
Strengthened out, the better for all
concerned. 1t isn't pleasant to be
hammered to pieces. is it?'
He took one step toward Ned, and
Lenore started to scream again. But
he inflicted no further punishment
He reached strong hand, seized
Ned-s shoulder, and snatched him to
his feet
Racked by pain but fully conscious
Ned looked into the glittering eyes.
1t was no longer possible to disbe-
lieve in this hairy giant before him.
Doomsdorf walked to the door and
threw it wide.
There's snow and cold out there. 3"
His voice was deeply sober. Death
too-sure as you're standing here. A
weaklfng like you can't live in that,
out there. None of your kind can
stand it-they'd die like so many
bow down and serve the man that
cam"
Ned had no answer. The greatest
fear of his life was clamping down
upon him.
That's the law up here-that the
weak have to serve the strong. I've
beat the north at its own game, and
1t serves me, just as you're going to
serve me now. You can go out there
if you like-if you prefer to die.
There's no boat to carry you off.
He paused. smiling grizzly: then
with an explosive motion, pulled back
the lid of the stove and threw in an
otheE log. "Sit down, why don't
your" he invited. "I don't insist on
my servants standing up always in
my presence. You'll have to sit down
sometime, you know
Lenore, wholly respondent. sank
back into her seat. To show that he
was still her protector, Ned stood
behind her. his hands resting on the
back of her chair. Bess stole to a
little rough seat between them and
the squaw
A single great chair was left va
cant, almost in the middle of the cir
Gle. Doomsdorf glanced once about
the room as if guarding against any
possibility of surprise attack by his
prisoners, then sat down easily him.
self. Excuse me for not making
you known to my woman he began.
I'm fact, I haven't even learned your
own names. She is, translating from
the vernaculsr, 'Owl-That- Never
Sleeps You won't be expected to
expected to call her that, however,
although regret as general thing,
thai the picturesque native names SO
off~n undergo such iaceraticn on the
tongues OF the whites When Z took