Oh, if Bennett would only come! She was still near enough to Paradise Road for him to hear her calling.
Maudlin reached out his hand and caught the long curls between his dirty fingers.
“If you won’t run,” he said, “then, that for you!” and he gave a cruel twist to the shining hair, pulling Jinnie almost off her feet.
Then the ruffian turned, slowly dragging her foot by foot into the marshland. She opened her lips, and gave one long scream; then another and another before Maudlin pulled her to him and closed her mouth with a large hand, and Jinnie grew faint with fright and terror. 157
They were out of sight now of Paradise Road, still Jinnie struggled and struggled, gripping with both hands at Bates’ fingers jerking at her curls.
Suddenly Lafe’s solemn words surged through her mind. “He has given His angels charge over thee.” Oh God! Dear God! What glorious, blessed words! Lafe’s angels, her angels—Jinnie’s heart throbbed with faith. Once Lafe had told her no one, no, not even Maudlin Bates, could keep her own from her! Her honor and her very life were in the tender hands of the cobbler’s angels. Suddenly in fancy Jinnie saw the whole world about teeming with bright ecstatic beings, and multitudes of them were hurrying through the warm summer air to the Bellaire marshes. They were coming—coming to help her, to save her from a fate worse than death! Her mind reeled under the terrible pain Maudlin was inflicting upon her, and she closed her eyes in agony. With one mighty effort, she dragged her face from the brown, hard hand and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Theodore King swung his car around into Paradise Road with busy thoughts. He had decided to go himself that morning to bring the little fiddler back to his home with the shortwood. He had a plan for Jinnie.
Past the cobbler’s shop sped the big motor, and as it drew up to the marshes, he heard a blood-curdling cry from the depths of the underbrush. In another instant he was out on the ground, dashing along the path. He saw Jinnie and Maudlin before either one of them knew he was near. He saw the fellow pulling the black curls, and saw a hand almost covering the fair young face.
Then Jinnie saw him, and sent him one swift, terrified, appealing glance. 158