Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-01-02
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Sons

peering at her, filed with evil light.
'Trhe better to see you by, my
dear!" was Quinnion's word of greet
ing. Judith made no answer. She
drew q little farther back into the
shadows little closer to the things
she had hidden among the fir
branches
from the first plain enough to read in
the glimpses of his face and in the
added harshness of his voice. "Timid
little fawn, huh1 BY Cd, man
would say from the bluff you put up
that 1t was all dream about fndin'
you an the handsome Lee in the cabin
together! Stan off all you d-n
please; I've come to tame you, you
little beauty Of the big innocent eyes,"
Not drunk no, Quinnion was never
drunk. But, as he came a step closer,
the heavy air Of the cave grew heavier
with the whisky he carried, whisky
enough to stimulate the evil within
him. not to Quenoh it,
stand back !" cried Judith, with
sharp intake of breath. Il want to
talk with you, Chris Quinnion."
$50 you know who | am, do you?
Well, much good It'll do you"
II know who you are and what you
are" she told him defantly, suddenly
sick of her long hours Of playing
baby, knowing at the moment less
fear than hatred and loathing. Listen
to me: Bayne Trevors has come out
in the open at last; he has made his
big play and Is going to lose out on 1t.
Your one chance now is to let me go
and to 60 yourself Go fast and far,
Chris Quinnion. For when the law
knows the sort Bayne Trevors is and
how you have worked hand and glove
with him, 1t will know just how much
his word was worth when he sWOre
you were with him when father was
killed. Coward and cur and muir
dered!"
Quinnion laughed at her
Little pussy-cat," he jeered. you've
got claws, have you? And you spit
and growl, do you? Want me TO let
you go back to that staggering lover
Of yours, do you? Back to Lee"
That's enough, Quinnion," she said
sharply.
us it?" He laughed at her again,
and again came on toward her, the
red-rimmed evil Of his eyes driving
quick fear at last into her Enough?
Why, curse you and curse him,
haven't begun yet When I'm through
with you I'll 60 fast enough. And he
can have you then an d-n well
come to him !"
Stop" cried Judith.
His laughter did not reach her ears
now, but as he kicked the fire at his
foot and the flames leaped and
showed his face, she read the laughter
in his soul read 1t through the gleam-
ing eyes, the twisted mouth which
showed the teeth at one side in a hor
rible leer. His long arms thrust out
before him, he came on.
"Oh, my Cd" cried Judith. MY
Cd"
/ Then suddenly she was silent. She
thought that she had known the ut
termost of fear and now for the first
time did she fully know what terror
was. His strength was many times
her strength, his brutality was un-
bounded, she was alone with him.
There was no one to call to, not even
Ruth, the mad woman.
She was shaking now, shaking so
that she could barely stand Quinnion
came on, his long arms out.
She felt the strength die out of her
body. 3raX for q mouent blind and
dizzy and sick. She tried again to
call out to him, to plead with him.
But her voice stuck in her throat.
He was gloating over her, look
strangely like Mad Ruth's in his eyes
Good Cd He was like Mad Ruth /;
the same eyes, the same long, power
full arms, the same look of cunning !
In d fash there came to her suspl-
cion which was near certainty: this
man was blood Of Mad Ruth's blood,
bone of her bone; her son, and, like
her tainted with madness.
He shot out long arm, his hand
barely brushing her shoulder. She
shrank back. He stood, content to
pause moment to gloat further over
her.
You little beauty" he said, pant
ing. you little white and pink and
brown beauty!'
+ Judith had shuddered when he
touched her. But strange thing had
happened to her. His touch had
angered her so that she almost for
got to be afraid, angered her SO that
the loathing was gone in white hot
hatred, giving her back her old
strength.
Now, though he had the brutal force
Of strong man, Quinnion did not
have the swiftness Of movement OF
an alert, desperate girl. Before he
could grasp her motive she leaped to-
ward him and toward the bed OF
bOughs, found the ragged stone and
lifting 1t high above her head flung it
full into his face. The man staggered
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