Under His Thumb — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> a UNDER HIS THUMB. tempted to open a door to continue her flight, but found it locked. The delay allowed the young man to overtake her, and this time he was too angry to restrain the fierce- ness of his clutch. : He caught her roughly by the shoulder and drew i her rudely backward. 2 But scarcely had he done so when he recoiled in ‘ dismay. For the desperate oirl had drawn a revolver, and thrust the muzzle close to the face of her persecutor. | ‘Will you release me now, sir?’’ she cried. Although her voice trembled with anger, yet the irrepressible sweetness of its tones could not be wholly disguised. Clarence Blain recoiled, freeing the girl’s arm. He was partially sobered by her unexpected menace. ‘“You carry a pistol, Stella?’’ he gasped, staring at her with distended eyes. ‘You see I am not defenseless,’’ she returned. ‘But you wouldn’t shoot me, I know? Such a ' pretty,sweet girl as you are would never shed blood !”’ ‘““Gentle, am [?’’ The girl’s voice had a strange sound as she said this, and she laughed in an odd, mirthless fashion. ‘‘Perhaps I should be if I but had the chance,”’ she continued, with sudden bitterness.- ‘‘I have had to ficht against a merciless destiny ever since I can re- member, and that isn’t the sort of training your sweet-tempered girls receive. If I have no one to defend me, | must defend myself. That is why I carry a pistol, and I know how to use it if need be.” The young man listened to her words in mute won- der. He was charmed by the play of her sweet lips; by a UF ee pS BaF es SN eee Pee eed pe at) oe " em, a ey te 4 ~ . a , . . st ee J : Ba Soy “* : ‘ cComicbook WwW com