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For all the impression she made the girdle round her waist might

have been of steel. Without moving, he held her as she struggled,

his brown muscular fingers slowly tightening round her wrist. Her

stifled cry was of pain this time, and before it had died the

revolver fell to the ground from her paralyzed grip.

But her exclamation had been involuntary and born of the soft

tender flesh. The wild eyes that flamed into his asked for no

quarter and received none. He drew her slowly down toward him,

inch by inch, till she lay crushed and panting against him, but

still unconquered. Though he held the stiff resistant figure

motionless she still flashed battle at him.

He looked into the storm and fury of her face, hiding he knew not

what of terror, and laughed in insolent delight. Then, very

deliberately, he kissed her lips.

"You--coward!" came instantly her choking defiance.

"Another for that," he laughed, kissing her again.