That he would have her at the bidding of her father, Lem never doubted. During the last three years he had been resolved to take her home in due time to be his woman. To subdue the proud young spirit, to make her the mother of children like himself,--the boys destined to be thieves, and the girls squatter women,--was his one ambition. That he was old enough to be her father made no difference to him.
He was watching her as she stood in the darkening twilight, gloating over the thought that his vicious dreams were so near their fulfilment.
Flea was looking into the eyes of her father, and he looked back at her with an impudent smile.
"Ye don't like the thought of this comin' Saturday, Flea--eh?" he asked slowly. "But, as I said before, a gal hain't nothin' to do with the notions of her daddy. And Granny Cronk'll give ye a pork cake to take to Lem's, and he'll let ye eat it all to yerself. Eh, Lem?"
"Yep," grunted Lem. "She eats the pork cake if she will; but after that--"
Suddenly Lon silenced Lem's words with a wag of his head toward the girl. "Flea," he said, "I telled Lem as how ye'd kiss him tonight."
The words stunned the girl, they were so unexpected, so terrible. She turned her eyes upon Lem and fearfully studied his face. He was gazing back, his open lips showing his discolored, broken teeth. The coarse, red hair sprinkled with gray gave a fierce aspect to his whole appearance, and from the emotion through which he was passing the muscles under his chin worked to and fro. With a grin he advanced toward her. Flea fell back against Flukey. The boy steadied the trembling, slender body.
"I ain't a goin' to kiss ye," she muttered. "I hate yer kisses! I hate 'em!"
"Ye'll kiss him, jest the same!" ordered Lon.
Closer and closer Lem came toward the girl; then suddenly he sprang at her like a tiger, crushing the slim figure against his breast. For a moment Flea was encircled by his left arm. Then she turned fiercely to the ugly face so close to hers, and in another instant had bitten it through the cheek. He dropped her with a yelling oath, and Flea sprang back, turning flashing eyes upon Lon.
"That's how I kiss him afore I go to him," she screamed, "and worser and worser after he takes me!"
Lon laughed wickedly. He had not expected such a display of spirit. "I guess ye'll have to wait, Lem," he said; "fer--"