The Washington times., 1936-05-14

which now closed 1lr1nly.
There emerged a sound-a
strap swishing through the air
against bare flesh, a second and
a third cutting down cruelty Then
a little boy crying out in pain.
little fellow beseeching, "Oh
please-I'll be good! Daddy
don't hit me any more"
Nell dashed from the porch
across the hall.
Nellie" called a thin, har-
assed voice, Nellie, come back
here. He was naughty and
deserves it."
But the girl flung open the
door to her step-father's room.
She Kissed as the strap came down
cruelty for the sixth time. Leave
him alone"
Mason was a well-made, wiry
man with coal-black hair, coal.
black eyes and a red, thin mouth.
He was sleek and graceful and
cruel-looking like black pantherS
she had seen. in the zoo. At the
girls entrance, he turned with
the lash swept behind him, the
little curly.haired DO covering
and tear-streaked in the corner.
"Get out of here and don't
interfere"
"I'll not get out"
They faced each other with
deep implacable hatred. The girls
red hair was tossed upward from
her white face, like a lighted
torch. Her eyes, usually gentle,
were pround. menacing, imper-
ious. She forced him to take
this challenge Of her gaze. She
made him remember an incident
which happened six years ago;
an incident which reused in Henry
Mason shame and Q blasting
fury.
It was such q little thing He
had called to take Nellie from
a party. And he had, CHANGED to
notice, for the first time. what
a seductive and beautiful little
creature this Step-daughter Of his
was growing to be. He had stopped
the car-they had an automobile
in those days-and he had tricked
her into climbing hill to look
at a view of the river in moon
light. Then he had kissed her
>. he had grabbed her more We
hemently than he meant to
and she had clawed his face and
screamed and gone flying down
the hill in establishment and ter
ror. He could kill her when he
remembered how he begged her
not to tell her mother-how he'd
pretended that he was a little
drunk. For weeks the girl had
not spoken to him. She was too
pround ever to talk of the thing;
too wounded and outraged. But
she remembered it. every time
she looked at him she remem-
bered it. He knew this. It gave
her a power over him which some
times shook him with almost
murderous fury.
He now put down the strap,
while the child rubbed his wet,
distorted little face on his sleeve.
Mason, coming up to Nell, said
with husky violence: you'll go
too far one Of these days, my
little spit-fire. I've taken more
than I mean to from you'll"
She stood with her hands
clenched and her arms stiffly at
her side, her wild face thrust
forward. "I'm not afraid Of you!
There's nothing you can do to
me! But you leave Jimmy alone.
Don't you ever strike him again.
That's what I'm telling you. And
I mean it. How I mean til"
He paused at the threshold
with a Snarling watch your
step!" and went out. slamming
the door.
The child ran up, flung him
self in Nell's arms, and poured
out an incoherent tale. Aunt
Esther had given them one of
her fine china cups for Mons
birthday. They told the small
lad to carry it. He was frightened
and protested that he might
break it. But this was just per.
versity on his part; of course he
could carry a cup and saucer
so they made him do it. He let
it drop. It was smashed to pieces
the expensive and beautiful
Mason heirloom! Bad-tempered
little devil-he did that on pur-
pose-he deserved a beating.
The welts were swollen and
angry on his bare legs and on his
little and. washed her brothers
face. She was hysterical and
murmered: II hate him-how I
hate him!"
This troubled the child, who
felt responsible for his fathers
anger and Nell's tears. He be-
came inconSolable when the
mother entered and said in low,
Hateful voice, II hope you're salts
fled now, Nelly. Your father has
left the house,"
Hes not my father! I hope
he stays away!"
Ito be continued
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