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Joan felt herself weakening Kells was so powerful in spirit and

passion that she seeht him She strove to withhold

her reply, but it burst forth, involuntarily

"Yes--often"

That roused er and passion Jealousy flamed from him

and it transformed him into a devil

"You held hands out of that --and kissed--in the dark?" he

cried, orking lips

Joan had thought of this so fearfully and intensely--she had battled

so to fortify herself to keep it secret--that he had divined it, had

read her mind She could not control herself The murder of Pearce

had alth to bite her

tongue Suggestion alone would have drawn her then--and Kells's

passionate force was hypnotic

"Yes," she whispered

He appeared to control a developing paroxyse

"That settles you," he declared darkly "But I'll do oneby you I'll marry you" Then he wheeled to his men "Blicky,

there's a parson down in camp Go on the run Fetch hiun"

Blicky darted through the door and his footsteps thudded out of

hearing

"You can't force me to marry you," said Joan "I--I won't open my