nd turned furiously upon him.

"Don't touch me again, Maudlin Bates.... I don't interfere with you.
I'll--I'll----"

But Maudlin paid no heed to her insistence. He was dragging the strap
from her shoulders.

Jinnie's face grew waxen white, but she held her own for a few
minutes. Maudlin was big in proportion to her slenderness, and in
another instant her shortwood lay on the ground, and she was standing
panting before him.

"Now, then, just to show what kind of a feller I be," said he, "I'm
goin' to kiss you."

Jinnie felt cold chills running up and down her back.

"It's time you was kissed," went on Maudlin, "and after to-day I'm
goin' to be your man.... You can bet on that."

He was slowly forcing her backward along the narrow path that led into
the marshes. Jinnie knew intuitively he wanted her to turn and run
into the underbrush that he might have her alone in the great waste
place.

Like a mad creature, she fought every step of the way, Maudlin's anger
rising at each cry the girl emitted.

"I'll tell my uncle," she screamed, with sobbing breath.

"You won't want to tell 'im when I get done with you," muttered the
man. "Why don't you run? You c'n run, can't you?"

Oh, if Bennett would only come! She was still near enough to Paradise
Road for him to hear her calling.

Maudlin reached out his hand and caught the long curls between his
dirty fingers.

"If you won't run," he said, "then, that for you!" and he gave a cruel
twist to the shining hair, pulling Jinnie almost off her feet.

Then the ruffian turned, slowly dragging her foot by foot into the
marshland. She opened her lips, and gave one long scream; then another
and another before Maudlin pulled her to him and closed her mouth with
a large hand, and Jinnie grew faint with fright and terror.

They were out of sight now of Paradise Road, still Jinnie struggled
and struggled, gripping with both hands at Bates' fingers jerking at
her curls.

Suddenly Lafe's solemn words surged through her mind. "He has given
His angels charge over thee." Oh God! Dear God! What glorious, blessed
words! Lafe's angels, her angels--Jinnie's heart throbbed with faith.
Once Lafe had told her no one, no, not even Maudlin Bates, could keep
her own from her! Her honor and her very life were in the tender hands
of the cobbler's angels. Suddenly in fancy Jinnie saw the whole world
about teeming with bright ecstatic beings, and multitudes of them were
hurrying through the