The force of her recoil had drawn him to his side. His cruel, mirthless grin seemed to her to carry inexpressible menace. Very slowly, while his eyes taunted her, he pulled her manacled wrist closer.
There was a swift flash of white teeth. With a startled oath Doble snatched his arm away. Savage as a tigress, Joyce had closed her teeth on his forearm.
She fell back, got to her feet, and fled from the house. Doble was after her on the instant. She dodged round a tree, doubled on her course, then deflected toward the corral. Swift and supple though she was, his long strides brought him closer. Again she screamed.
Doble caught her. She fought in his arms, a prey to wild and unreasoning terror.
"You young hell-cat, I'm not gonna hurt you," he said. "What's the use o' actin' crazy?"
He could have talked to the waves of the sea with as much effect. It is doubtful if she heard him.
There was a patter of rapid feet. A small body hurled itself against Doble's leg and clung there, beating his thigh with a valiant little fist.
"You le' my sister go! You le' my sister go!" the boy shouted, repeating the words over and over.
Doble looked down at Keith. "What the hell?" he demanded, amazed.
The Mexican came forward and spoke in Spanish rapidly. He explained that he could not have prevented the boy from coming without arousing the suspicions of his sister and her friends.