Page:The woman, the man, and the monster (IA womanmanmonster00dawe).pdf/356

 ually she drew closer to him; deftly her fingers worked at the laces around her throat. She saw his eyes fasten greedily on her smooth white flesh.

“By God!” he phate and shuddered as though he had been struck.

Imperceptibly she crept closer to him until her bosom throbbed against his knees.

“Since I can no longer be of service to you,” she said, “do as you will.”

Swiftly he stooped down, caught her up in his arms, and buried his face in her neck.

She struggled, though she knew the folly, the madness of the act. But with her struggles his fury seemed to increase. He blinded her with kisses; it seemed as though he would tear her to pieces in his fierce insanity. And then as suddeny he flung her to the floor and rose, glowering about him like a furious and evil spirit.

“Tt’s a lie!’ he snarled.

But even this rebuff did not daunt her. Slowly she picked herself up, gathered her scattered wits. Now more than ever was needed resource, cunning—any aid to victory. Afar off, through the dim buzzing of her brain, she

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