e the food, lay down, and buried her quivering face in her
arms.

* * * * *

The sun was half way between zenith and horizon when she heard somebody
coming, and rose to a sitting posture. Her visitor was Quintana.

He came up to her quite close, stood with glittering eyes intent upon
her.

After a moment he handed her a letter.

She could scarcely unfold it, she trembled so:

"Girlie, for God's sake give that packet to Quintana and come home. I'm
near crazy with it all. What the hell's anything worth beside you
girlie. I don't give a damn for nothing only you, so come on quick.
Dad."

* * * * *

After a little while she lifted her eyes to Quintana.

"So," he said quietly, "you are the little she-fox that has learned
tricks already."

"What do you mean?"

"Where is that packet?"

"I haven't it."

"Where is it?"

She shook her head slightly.

"You had a packet," he insisted fiercely. "Look here! Regard!" and he
spread out a penciled sheet in Clinch's hand:

* * * * *

"Jose Quintana:

"You win. She's got that stuff with her. Take your damn junk and let
my girl go.

"Mike Clinch."

* * * * *

"Well," said Quintana, a thin, strident edge to his tone.

"My father is mistaken. I haven't any packet."

The man's visage behind his mask flushed darkly. Without warning or
ceremony he caught Eve by the throat and tore open her shirt. Then,
hissing and cursing and panting with his own violence, he searched her
brutally and without mercy -- flung her down and tore off her spiral
puttees and even her shoes and stockings, now apparently beside himself
with fury, puffing, gasping, always with a fierce, nasal sort of whining
undertone like an animal worrying about its kill.

"Cowardly beast!" she panted, fighting him with all her strength --
"filthy, cowardly beast! ----" striking at him, wrenching his grasp
away, snatching at the disordered clothing half stripped from her.

His hunting knife fell clattering and she fought to get it, but he
struck her with his open hand, knocking her down at his feet, and stood
glaring at her with every tooth bared.

"So" he cried. "I give you ten minutes, make up your mind, tell me what
you do with that packet."

He wiped the blood from his face where she had struck him.

"You don't know Jose Quintana. No! You shall make his acquaintance.
Yes!"

Eve got up on naked feed, quivering from head to foot, striving to
button the grey shirt at her