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could do。 They made fast time。 The level forest floor； hard and springy；
afforded the best kind of going。
A cold dread had once more clutched Lucy's heart。 What would be the end of
this flight？ The way Creech looked back increased her dread。 How horrible it
would be if Cordts accomplished what he had always threatenedto run off with
both her and the King！ Lucy lost her confidence in Creech。 She did not glance
again at Joel。 Once had been enough。 She rode on with heavy heart。 Anxiety and
dread and conjecture and a gradual sinking of spirit weighed her down。 Yet she
never had a clearer perception of outside things。 The forest loomed thicker
and darker。 The sky was seen only through a green； crisscross of foliage
waving in the roaring gale。 This strong wind was like a blast in Lucy's face；
and its keen dryness cracked her lips。
When they rode out of the forest； down a gentle slope of wind…swept grass； to
an opening into a canyon Lucy was surprised to recognize the place。 How
quickly the ride through the forest had been made！
Creech dismounted。 〃Git off； Lucy。 You； Joel； hurry an' hand me the little
pack。 。 。 。 Now I'll take Lucy an' the King down in hyar。 You go thet way with
the hosses an' make as if you was hidin' your trail； but don't。 Do you savvy？〃
Joel shook his head。 He looked sullen； somber； strange。 His father repeated
what he had said。
〃You're wantin' Cordts to split on the trail？〃 asked Joel。
〃Sure。 He'll ketch up with you sometime。 But you needn't be afeared if he
does。〃
〃I ain't a…goin' to do thet。〃
〃Why not？〃 Creech demanded； slowly； with a rising voice。
〃I'm a…goin' with you。 What d'ye mean； Dad； by this move？ You'll be headin'
back fer the Ford。 An' we'd git safer if we go the other way。〃
Creech evidently controlled his temper by an effort。 〃I'm takin' Lucy an' the
King back to Bostil。〃
Joel echoed those words； slowly divining them。 〃Takin' them BOTH！ The girl。 。
。 。 An' givin' up the King！〃
〃Yes； both of them。 I've changed my mind； Joel。 Nowyou〃
But Creech never finished what he meant to say。 Joel Creech was suddenly
seized by a horrible madness。 It was then； perhaps； that the final thread
which linked his mind to rationality stretched and snapped。 His face turned
green。 His strange eyes protruded。 His jaw worked。 He frothed at the mouth。 He
leaped； apparently to get near his father； but he missed his direction。 Then；
as if sight had come back； he wheeled and made strange gestures； all the while
cursing incoherently。 The father's shocked face began to show disgust。 Then
part of Joel's ranting became intelligible。
〃Shut up！〃 suddenly roared Creech。
〃No； I won't！〃 shrieked Joel； wagging his head in spent passion。 〃An' you
ain't a…goin' to take thet girl home。 。 。 。 I'll take her with me。 。 。 。 An'
you take the hosses home！〃
〃You're crazy！〃 hoarsely shouted Creech； his face going black。 〃They allus
said so。 But I never believed thet。〃
〃An' if I'm crazy； thet girl made me。 。 。 。 You know what I'm a…goin' to do？ 。
。 。 I'll strip her nakedan' I'll〃
Lucy saw old Creech lunge and strike。 She heard the sodden blow。 Joel went
down。 But he scrambled up with his eyes and mouth resembling those of a mad
hound Lucy once had seen。 The fact that he reached twice for his gun and could
not find it proved the breaking connection of nerve and sense。 Creech jumped
and grappled with Joel。 There was a wrestling； strained struggle。 Creech's
hair stood up and his face had a kind of sick fury； and he continued to curse
and command。 They fought for the possession of the gun。 But Joel seemed to
have superhuman strength。 His hold on the gun could not be broken。 Moreover；
he kept straining to point the gun at his father。 Lucy screamed。 Creech yelled
hoarsely。 But the boy was beyond reason or help； and he was beyond over
powering！ Lucy saw him bend his arm in spite of the desperate hold upon it and
fire the gun。 Creech's hoarse entreaties ceased as his hold on Joel broke。 He
staggered。 His arms went up with a tragic； terrible gesture。 He fell。 Joel
stood over him； shaking and livid； but he showed only the vaguest realization
of the deed。 His actions were instinctive。 He was the animal that had clawed
himself free。 Further proof of his aberration stood out in the action of
sheathing his gun； he made the motion to do so； but he only dropped it in the
grass。
Sight of that dropped gun broke Lucy's spell of horror； which had kept her
silent but for one scream。 Suddenly her blood leaped like fire in her veins。
She measured the distance to Sage King。 Joel was turning。 Then Lucy darted at
the King； reached him； and； leaping； was half up on him when he snorted and
jumped； not breaking her hold； but keeping her from getting up。 Then iron
hands clutched her and threw her； like an empty sack； to the grass。
Joel Creech did not say a word。 His distorted face had the deriding scorn of a
superior being。 Lucy lay flat on her back； watching him。 Her mind worked
swiftly。 She would have to fight for her body and her life。 Her terror had
fled with her horror。 She was not now afraid of this demented boy。 She meant
to fight； calculating like a cunning Indian； wild as a trapped wildcat。
Lucy lay perfectly still； for she knew she had been thrown near the spot where
the gun lay。 If she got her hands on that gun she would kill Joel。 It would be
the action of an instant。 She watched Joel while he watched her。 And she saw
that he had his foot on the rope round Sage King's neck。 The King never liked
a rope。 He was nervous。 He tossed his head to get rid of it。 Creech； watching
Lucy all the while； reached for the rope； pulled the King closer and closer；
and untied the knot。 The King stood then； bridle down and quiet。 Instead of a
saddle he wore a blanket strapped round him。
It seemed that Lucy located the gun without turning her eyes away from Joel's。
She gathered all her forcerolled over swiftlyagain got her hands on the
gun just as Creech leaped like a panther upon her。 His weight crushed her
flathis strength made her hand…hold like that of a child。 He threw the gun
aside。 Lucy lay face down； unable to move her body while he stood over her。
Then he struck her； not a stunning blow； but just the hard rap a cruel rider
gives to a horse that wants its own way。 Under that blow Lucy's spirit rose to
a height of terrible passion。 Still she did not lose her cunning； the blow
increased it。 That blow showed Joel to be crazy。 She might outwit a crazy man；
where a man merely wicked might master her。
Creech tried to turn her。 Lucy resisted。 And she was strong。 Resistance
infuriated Creech。 He cuffed her sharply。 This action only made him worse。
Then with hands like steel claws he tore away her blouse。
The shock of his hands on her bare flesh momentarily weakened Lucy； and Creech
dragged at her until she lay seemingly helpless before him。
And Lucy saw that at the sight of her like this something had come between
Joel Creech's mad motives and their execution。 Once he had loved herdesired
her。 He looked vague。 He stroked her shoulder。 His strange eyes softened； then
blazed with a different light。 Lucy divined that she was lost unless she could
recall his insane fury。 She must begin that terrible fight in which now the
best she could hope for was to make him kill her quickly。
Swift and vicious as a cat she fastened her teeth in his arm。 She bit deep and
held on。 Creech howled like a dog。 He beat her。 He jerked and wrestled。 Then
he lifted her； and the swing of her body tore the flesh loose from his arm and
broke her hold。 Lucy half rose； crawled； plunged for the gun。 She got it； too；
only to have Creech kick it out of her hand。 The pain of that brutal kick was
severe； but when he cut her across the bare back with the rope she shrieked
out。 Supple and quick； she leaped up and ran。 In vain！ With a few bounds he
had her again； tripped her up。 Lucy fell over the dead body of the father。 Yet
even that did not shake her desperate nerve。 All the ferocity of a desert…bred
savage culminated in her； fighting for death。
Creech leaned down； swinging the coiled rope。 He meant to do more than lash
her with it。 Lucy's hands flashed up； closed tight in his long hair。 Then with
a bellow he jerked up and lifted her sheer off the ground。 There was an
instant in which Lucy felt herself swung and torn； she saw everything as a
whirling blur； she felt an agony in her wrists at which Creech was clawing。
When he broke her hold there were handfuls of hair in Lucy's fists。
She fell again and had not the strength to rise。 But Creech was raging； and
little of his broken speech was intelligible。 He knelt with a sharp knee
pressing her down。 He cut the rope。 Nimbly； like a rider in moments of needful
swiftness； he noosed one end of the rope round her ankle； then the end of the
other piece round her wrist。 He might have been tying up an unbroken mustang。
Rising； he retained hold on both ropes。 He moved back； sliding them through
his hands。 Then with a quick move he caught up Sage King's bridle。
Creech paused a moment； darkly triumphant。 A hideous success showed in his
strange eyes。 A long…cherished mad vengeance had reached its fruition。 Then he
l