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Shellin'ton " Everett dropped back again into his chair. The mention of Horace's name silenced him. He motioned for the men to be seated, without taking his eyes from Lem. The scowman's clothes were in shreds, and, as he lifted his right arm, Brimbecomb saw the chapped red flesh, strapped to the rusted iron hook.

Fledra unloosened her wrap from her throat as if it choked her. "How d'y' do, Flea?" grinned Cronk. His delight was like that of a small boy who has captured a bright-winged butterfly in a net. "I got yer letter, Pappy Lon," said Fledra, overlooking his impudent manner. "And ye goin' to stay, ain't ye?" gurgled Lem. Fledra snapped out "Nope!" to the scowman's question, without looking at him.

Lem paused in his work, and then added in a stammering undertone, "But I love the huzzy!" The other bent far forward to catch the scowman's words, delighting in the mental picture of Fledra's lithe body writhing under the lash. The proud spirit of the girl would break under the physical pain! Fledra was still lying on the bed when Lon returned to the hut. "Git up and git supper!"

On the ground he saw the woman, and as he looked she rose to a sitting position. Screech Owl was just recovering her battered senses. She was still dazed, and had not heard the scowman's footsteps, nor did she now hear the mutterings in his throat. Faintly she called to Black Pussy; but, receiving no response from the cat, she crawled deeper into the shadows of the vault and tried to think.

The girl looked appealingly at Lem. The scowman's squinted eyes and the contortions of his face caused Fledra to cry out: "Lem, Lem, save me! save me!" Crabbe drew his heavy body more compactly together, and, with his eyes glued upon the revolver, advanced along the wall toward Brimbecomb.

Instantly followed the report of a revolver; but the bullet went wide and sunk into the opposite wall, for, as Everett aimed at Lem, Fledra twisted and struck his arm so heavily that his fingers loosened and the weapon clattered across the room. The impact of the scowman's body bore the lawyer down, while Fledra was thrown away from the struggle by a sweep of Lem's left arm.