Page:Minnie Flynn (1925).pdf/44

 The shrill strident whistles cut into the air, whistles which warned other boats nosing their way along the dark waters. Minnie sprang, startled, from Dan's arms. These hideous sounds crashing so violently into her enfolding dream awoke her to sudden consciousness. She felt as if, groping through darkness, she had hurtled against a door which had sprung open. . . . Her mind was flooded with light, blinding, relentless, uncompromising. It brought out everything in stark reality: Dan, the spooning couples, her own ecstasy, now so remote an emotion it left barely an impression upon her. . . . When the whistles ceased Dan pulled her to him again. Once more they had tumbled into concealing shadows. He was laughing because she had been so frightened. His voice was coarse, his hands on her seemed rude. She was shocked at the way he plunged his mouth upon hers. The pressure of his arms around her waist seemed a strangling vise. Her scream startled him, infuriated him. "You little devil!" he said, pinioning her in his strong grip, silencing with kisses, now ugly and terrible to her, Minnie's intermittent screams. Revolted, she struggled free from him, slapping him with hysterical violence when he groped for her in the darkness, escaping and running blindly away from him, reaching the lighted saloon of the boat, sinking down on one of the benches, seeing a reflection of her white, startled face in the mirror opposite her, wondering why she had enjoyed his kisses one minute, only a few minutes later to be terrified and repelled by them.

Dan and she had parted after this open rebellion which had made him a laughing stock. She soon forgot him.

To Billy, on the other hand, her response was tender, not