Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

of the teacher’s wrath, advertising their entire disregard for the restraining influence of rules. Both were boys. The larger, dirty, un- kempt, with an uptilted nose and belligerent eyes, was fully as tall as Ruth. He was broad and muscular, and it was evident that consideration for his size .was one influence that had thus far delayed the punishment he no doubt merited. It was evident, too, that the culprit suspected this, for as Ruth’s hesitation con- tinued he grew bolder and more.contemptu- ous. And now, having divined that Ruth would not attempt to inflict the punishment she merited, the young man _ guffawed ‘‘ Shucks,” he sneered, winking piratically ‘at his brother culprit; ‘“ she’s trym’ to run a whizzer in on us. She ain’t goin’ to do nuthin’ |” “Jimmy Singleton, advance to the plat- form!” Ruth’s voice came sharply, quavering with the passion she had been suppressing until now. : _ She stood, rigid until Jimmy got out of his seat with elephantine deliberation, and shuffled te the edge of the platform, where he stood, grinning defiantly. Ruth raised the lid of her desk and took out a formidable willow branch, which she had cut only the day before, in anticipation of the present incident, from a tree that grew beside the Wolf near her cabin. She had known for many days that she would have to punish Jimmy, for Jimmy had been growing daily less amenable to discipline. But she had hoped that she would not be compelled to punish him—she had escaped that disagreeable task so far. But there was no alternative, and though she grew deadly white and her legs grew weak as she drew out the willow switch, she advanced on Jimmy, her eyes flaming with desperate resolution. As she reached Jimmy’s side, he lunged toward her. He struck viciously at her with his fist, the blow landing on her shoulder near the neck. It had been aimed at her face, but she had somehow dodged it. The force of the blow brought Jimmy against her, and he seized her around the THE ARGOSY. waist and attempted to throw her. She brought the switch down sharply on jam- my’s legs as they struggled, and the sting of . the blow enraged the boy. He deliberately wrenched himself loose; then leaped for- ward, swinging his arms viciously. He had not struck the girl fairly, but she was in a daze from the rapid move- ment, and she ‘was not aware of what was going on around her, centering all her en- ergy in an attempt to keep the boy from striking her face. But she suddenly became conscious that a big form had loomed close to her; she heard a deep, angry voice saying: “Tl attend to you—you young pirate!” And then Jimmy was jerked backward, away from her; and she saw Kane Lawler standing not more than two or three paces from her. His right hand was twisted in Jimmy’s collar; and there was an expres- sion of cold rage on his face—despite the smile he gave her when she looked at him —that chilled her. But she made no objection when Lawler walked to a chair that stood on the plat- form, dragging the now protesting Jimmy after him by the scruff of the neck. There was something of majestic deliberation in Lawler’s movements, she thought, as he seated himself in the chair and placed the struggling Jimmy across his knees. Ruth led never entertained a_blood- thirsty thought, but her passfons were very near that point when she saw Lawler’s large, capable right hand begin to descend upon Jimmy’s anatomy. She gasped at first, at Lawler’s temerity; and then she stepped back and watched him, her heart singing with approval. Lawler’s capable right hand descended many times with a force that brought dis- mal howls from the unlucky culprit—so many times and with such force that the girl began to fear that Jimmy would be fatally injured. Jimmy likewise entertained that fear, for his howls grew more shrill, laden with mingled terror and pain, until the piercing appeal of them sent the other pupils out of their seats and into the open, shouting that Jimmy was being “ killed.” Then, Just when Ruth decided to protest, Lawler swung Jimmy around and placed NOOLK