The Coolidge examiner., 1936-06-12
CHAPTER IX-Continued

at a very fine figure. Under our
agreement"
You can't sell a damn foot of
land" he cut in. "No, Miss Nan
Downer, you can't sell one damn
foot of groundl" He drove fist
into the other palm vindictively.
You had your chance once. l give
you your chance a week ago. . Z.
But what'd you do? Tried TO wham
me with an oar, that's what you
did,
You know. wells l do. where
we stand. You're right up ag'in'
foreclosure this minute. You can't
sell an acre until you've come
acrost with the principal payment,
most year overdue"
She retreated around the corner
of her desk as he advanced.
And you don't like it, eh? Don't
like doin' business that way! You
can be high and mighty to me one
day, and then expect favors the
next! Well, I'll show you my
hearts In the right place! I'll
show you a contracts a contract
I'll show you that I'll see you bust
ed and smashed and on the road
without a roof, before We"
Tod! Don't Tod Please"
He had crowded her against the
wall. Rigidity went from him and
q Strange sound, half-laugh, half
sob. came from deep in his throat.
Hurt you? Hurt you, little Nan?
-. God, I'm sorry for the things
thatve happened!" He stepped
back pace or two unsteadily. Con-
fusion lay in his eyes. He had
come to gloat, but now 49,.
Il meant that, up the river the
other day." he said huskily. 81
meant all l said: l want you,
need you, little Nan! I'll make
you good lover I'll make you
q good husband!"
Perhaps it was the loathing in
her face, touched to life by his
hoarse, unsteady voice, which
stirred afresh the hell in his heart
Anyhow, he threw his arms wide,
fists clenched.
'Will you have me?" he cried
-'Will you have me, or we I got to
take you? Because I'll have you,
just as sure as hell itself! I'm des-
perate and L"
Nan had opened her lips to cry
out when white fury flung
through the doorway. Her cry was
lost in that gasp of breath which
burst from Tod's throat as a hand
caught one of the outstretched
arms, as he was spun about and
Stuart's fist Dashed into his lips.
The boy struck hard, struck with
all his weight coming in, and when
he had struck he squared for an
other blow.
But Tod West was not too drunk
for action. He dropped his head,
and Tended off the failing fist. He
swung forward and charged and
wrapped his great arms about
Hollis slender body, sweeping him
from his feet, crashing with him
against the decreasing, falling
with him to the floor.
The lad was no match for that
pOnderOus strength. He was over
whelmed, smothered, made helpless.
He kicked and writhed, but West
had one arm pinned beneath a
knee, the other secured in his iron
grasp and his fist raised to do it's
cruel work on that defenseless
And then Nan screamed The
quality of it, the shrillness, the
terror, struck through Vests in
tent, made him hesitate. In that
instant Holt freed a hand; he was
over from his back to one side,
upsetting West. graphing for the
mans knee, throwing him off bal
ance and fioundering free.
Mans cry had brought others
Feet sounded on the steps; and be-
fore West could charge again and
main and batter, he was surround
ed by a dozen people
Two men had Holt. Another
stood before West, blocking the
way to the boy, should he attempt
advance. But he did not Breath
ing heavily, he glowered for a mo-
ment at Stuart and then, seeking
out Mans face, nodded heavily.
"All right" he said. 81 said my
say And that, | guess, will be ALL
He turned for the entry and none
blocked his departure.
Ezra Adams, returning to Mans
after an hour in Jim Hinkle's home
came first into the excited group
in the big room, vas told what had
happened, asked Mans whereabouts
and went, without knocking, into
the office.
They stood close together, the
girl holding both Hollis hands in
hers, looking up into his face in.
kently. The old physician, struck
by the apparent significance OF
their postures, hesitated as IL tc
withdraw.
ACsme In. Egra!" Nan said and