But if the news feeds from the interior meant anything, the Fists would 
kill Nell gradually, with many small cuts and burns, when they grew weary of 
raping her. In recent days she had often seen the Chinese girls talking in 
little groups and sneaking glances at her, and the suspicion had grown in her 
breast that some of them might know of the attack in advance and might make 
arrangements to turn Nell over to the Fists as a demonstration of their 
loyalty.