Angela suddenly felt sick as the truth came to her. She saw now the meaning of those matches. They were not playing for money, _but for her_! She sprang to the window, but escape that way was impossible, for it was not more than a foot square. Her heart beat in terrible suspense. She realized her dreadful position--out here, a mile or more from the town, she was utterly at the mercy of these brutes. They considered her fair prey, as most women were considered in the Klondyke at that time. Pleading a husband would make no difference. A woman ought to know better than to leave her husband. Unwittingly she had placed herself in that position. There was only one way out, and that way lay through the inner room. She resolved to take it. She took the small sack and approached the door. A look through the keyhole revealed them engrossed in the decisive "hand." With heaving bosom she turned the handle and walked swiftly through the door. She was almost past the table before they recovered from their surprise. Then the chimpanzee man put out a huge arm and caught her by the wrist. "'Ere, what's this?" "Let me go." He grinned maliciously. "I _should_ say. Why, I've jest won you!" She struggled in vain in his iron grip. "Git back to thet room!" he ordered, and flung her towards the door. It was the first time any man had laid hands on her, and it aroused the devil. Her face and neck went crimson. Some of the fear vanished under this storm of violent repugnance. She noticed a naked hunting-knife on a ledge by the window. She flew to it and gripped it menacingly. She came nearer and raised it to strike any obstructors. Then Connie's lean figure leapt forward. The knife rattled to the floor and her wrist ached from the blow he had dealt it. He took her by the shoulders. "Cut that! Tom's won you, and you'd better get wise to that." "You brutes! Do you think you can----" Her voice petered out as she saw the horrible expression in Tom's eyes. There was no hope of mercy there. Words were lost on this monster. All the evening he had dwelled with rapture upon the object of the gamble. He took her from Connie and held her fast in his arms. Connie laughed. "You allus had the luck. Wal, perhaps she'll transfer her affections later!" "Let me go!" she cried, now thoroughly panic-stricken. "Oh, God!--let me go!" The chimpanzee-man merely gurgled in his throat. He lifted her from the ground and made for the inner room. One of her hands became free. She seized a bunch of his hair until it was wrenched from his hard scalp. "Ugh!" he grunted. "Go on--it's my turn in a minnit." "You monster!" "Good-night--boys!" he cried mockingly. "Happy dreams!" sneered Connie. "Don't forget we start----" The third man, a silent, morose individual, suddenly gave a gasp as the outer door was flung open. The others turned and saw the enraged face of Colorado Jim behind a big six-shooter. CHAPTER X ANGELA MEETS A FRIEND "Hands up!" snapped Jim.