he next moment, to
his astonishment, he felt a stinging blow on the ear. He stared at her
dumbfounded. It is safe to hazard that never in his life had he been so
utterly taken aback.

She met his stare without lowering her glance. But she was panting now
as if she had been running, one clenched hand pressed against her
heaving breast.

He gave a short laugh, half of amused admiration at her daring, and half
of anger.

"That was a darned silly thing to do!"

"What did you expect?"

"I expected that you were cleverer than to hit me. You ought to know
that when it comes to--to muscle, I guess I've got the bulge on you."

"I'm not frightened of you."

It was a stupid thing to say. Nora realized it too late. If she had only
been able to hold her tongue, he might have relented, she thought. But
at her words, his face hardened once more and the same steely glitter
came into his eyes. "Now come and wash up these things."

"I won't, I tell you!"

"Come on."

Quickly grasping her by the wrists, he began to drag her slowly but
steadily to the table. Earlier in the evening she had boasted that she
was as strong as a horse. As a matter of fact, she had unusual strength
for a woman. But she was quickly made to realize that her strength, even
intensified as it was by her anger was, of course, nothing compared with
his. Strain and resist as she might, she could neither release herself
from his grasp nor prevent him from forcing her nearer and nearer to the
table which was his goal. In the struggle one of the large shell hair
pins which she wore fell to the floor. In another second she heard it
ground to pieces under his heel. A long strand of hair came billowing
down below her waist.

Another moment, and by making a long arm, he could reach the table. With
a quick movement for which she was unprepared, he brought her two hands
sharply together so that he could hold both of her wrists with one hand,
leaving the other free.

"Let me go, let me go!"

She kicked him, first on one shin and then on the other. But their
bodies were too close together for the blows to have any force.

"Come on now, my girl. What's the good of making a darned fuss about
it." His laugh was boyish in its exultant good-nature.

"You brute, how dare you touch me! You'll never force me to do anything.
Let go! Let go! Let go!"

And now, his free hand held fast the edge of the table. With a quick
movement she bent down and fastened her teeth in t