River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-09-06

her mental vision was on the holster
beneath his vest She deliberately
tainted him to provoke him TO an
uncalculated move. Molly knew her
own litheness, her strength. Ii sne
could get inside his arms. II even 10
endure a moment of his beastly EN-
brace, and could get a grip on the
gun?
But there was something in Plimsoli
that delighted In playing with VIC
finn he felt sure of. 1t soothed MS
broken vanity.
$50" he said, "Tm going to get
even with Sandy and with Mormon
and the. bow-legged fool Sam Man
ming, who call you the Mascot OF the
Three Star, all at once; while get
even with YOU. And get what should
have been mine at the same time.
Wen have you tucked away while we
mail the letter that will bring your
ransom. Never mind the details Oh
handling the money. I'll attend TO
that. But we'll bleed you dry. me
price of all your stock and that OF
the three suckers at the Three Star
at par-and all they can borrow on
the ranch-that will be the price TOT
YOU. my lady. With three days 10
| deliver in"
"You talk like crazy man, or a
drunken one. If you lay fnger on
me they'll trail you to hi, Jim Pim-
SOIL, and the devil himself won't stop
them from skinning you alive.
plimsoll shrugged his shoulders, put
| bis eves flickered and for seconu
his cowardly soul shrank. 49,,
eTll look out for that" he said. II
Won are delivered back to them as
damaged goods they'll never know i
tul Won tell them. Maybe you won
| ha over.anxious to do that" His eyes
| grew moody. his manner sullen. he
| was passing into another aicohoiie
nbase Molly sensed imminent danger
arll take those kisses now, ne
cried. and lunged for her, catching
her about the waist as she rose from
tho chair. "And more to boot" ne
added thickly as he drew her TO hlm
/ ono hand at the back Of her head. mn
gers twining In her hair, twisting mel
face forward, upward. She had poti
arms inside of his, her hands on his
chest. With all her strength she
strained and pushed away, her rign'
hand slid up to the holster, cropping
The gun was not there. Plimsol
had reloaded 1t during the meal ane
left It on the table. His breath sick
ened her. She got her arm clear ane
/ struck him viciously on the mouth
breaking the lips against his teeth
Fighting like cave-woman, shs
scored his cheek with nails that aus
deep from the corner of his cyclic
and brought the blood. AS he shirtet
his hold she wrenched loose, leaving
strands of brown hair In his fingers
and Jumped for the door. In he
spring she saw, too late, the plsto
on the table. She drew the bolt, nal
opening the door before he caught he
/. and dragged her back again.
aYou wildcat" he painted. I'll n
you"
i Like panther Molly fought
matching her young muscles agains
his, striking, clawing, biting He
riding coat ripped, the neck OF ne
waist was torn away. Maddened a
| her resistance, he struck back. Ono
he got her about the throat. but he
fingers were at his face, tearing a
his eyes and he had to beat her of
The girl fought with all the subj
mated despair of attacked woman
hood, the man like gorilla. Tn
struggle was unequal, with more THAI
forty pounds in favor of Plimsoll
though If Molly had possessed tn
puniest of weapons. she might hay
won. He held her at last, close {
him, one arm wrapped about her, hi
right hand forcing the heel of tn
palm under her tucked-in chin, slowly
inexorably forcing 1t hack while hi
bleeding, distorted face lowered. Thi
time her arms were locked in, ben
double, useless. Her kicks were fl
tile; she had only her teeth left an
she was going to try those. But sh
knew her strength Slapped, knew
4. = I.