Nogales international., 1934-01-13

An hour-two hours, Ruth covered
by David's crib with her eyes on the
door. She had been telling him stories,
breathless, incoherent stories. Now ne
was asleep and she could watch the
door unhindered.
She had placed the trunk against the
door and She watched the streak OF
muddy water reach its top, puddle, and
run along between the Stats and drip.
She had long before, with her husband,
fixed the loops securely in the walls
and the bar was now in place.
Something struck the door heavily
little drops of water showered in the
air. The knob ratified and Ruth raised
the heavy gun. A momentary lull let
her hear the squelch of receding feet,
then quick running steps, and the door
crashed inward, pushing the trunk be-
fore it. The lamp went out. Ruth
stood before her baby's crib, the gun
held in both hands. Ann filled the
doorway: the continuous lightning
played upon them weirdly. AIMS hair
almost covered her face; sparkling
water dripped from the straight black
locks. Neither women moved. The hg-
ure towering in the doorway muttered
--chantlike cultural words which
seemed a part of the storm. Then 81
lence for moment, before the giantess
crouched low and came forward.
Ruth pulled the trigger-with both
hands she pulled frantically, and re-
membered when the gun was knocked
from her hand that snc ilaun | uo..s.
something-cocked the hammer. she
thought. Thereafter she thought no
more; she became a thing Of pure in
stinct, furious mother animal fighting
a black monster that had broken into
her den. -.
They crashed against the crib and
David called out; once they tripped
and for a moment separated, but as
soon as she could find her enemy
again, the neither sprang. She was
gripped IN a crushing embrace which
lifted her from her feet. The girl be-
came a scratching, kicking, writhing
denlon--every atom of her body strug-
Cling with blind ferocity which
would not be quelled. Her fingers,
talon-sprcad, searched for the eyes OF
the giantess and her teeth bit into 4
bonelike muscle. Suddenly she was
flung bodily across the room. Her
limbs tingled nuInbly and for moment
she could not move. 1t was during
this moment that, by Quivering flash
of lightning, Ruth saw dark, jagged
crack running from the upper corner
of the window to the ceiling. With
cut thinking, she knew what the crack
meant, and needless of Ann, she started
through the sudden darkness to the
crib where David lay huddled. The
mother stumbled and as she wa!
trying to rise to her feet, the light
ming came again. Ruth screamed
lightning shone like livid snake
through the jagged crack. The snake
squirrned its way along the top OF ths
wall above the crib and reached tht
door. Slowly the earthen wall swayet
inward, broke into great, ragged
chunks and fell. The stout timberS C
the crib creaked under the weight O
a slab and all was blackness, grinding
earth, and pelting rain.
A sheet of binding light filled tn
sky. Ruth saw Ann few feet away
half sitting, half kneeling, chunk Q
adobe propped against her. The BIZ
face with its matted hair was stupid
stunned. The mother screamed at her
"Daud-my bdbyr When next tn
lightning flashed, the stupid face ha'
not changed its expression. but Am
was looking at her. Again the gir
screamed. The next fash showed AM
scrambiing to her feet and from tn
Quick-thrown blanket Of blacknes
Numbered great, sobbing voice: M
babyi"
Ruth felt Ann beside her, big hand
fumbled over her own, great shoul
der edged itself under the end of tn
fragment. When light came again tn
giantess was holding up the slab AM
inside the crib David lay wide-eye'
and gasping. -.
Mingled with the memory of tw
small arms around her neck, ther
stood out in Ruth's mind the pictur
Of livid, tortured face, matted wit
straight black hair. -.
This memory seemed to have bee
with her for a long time-since las
month or last year or perhaps in la:
nights dream. Now she was quit