The Heart of the Desert (Kut-Le of the Desert)Morrow, Honoré
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The Heart of the Desert (Kut-Le of the Desert)
Morrow, Honoré
Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Love stories; Western stories
"Don't stir, Rhoda! Don't call or you'll have his whole bunch up here!"
"Don't worry about that!" exclaimed Kut-le. "You've been wanting to
get hold of me. Now we'll fight it out bare-handed and the best man
wins."
Rhoda looked wildly down the trail, then ran up to the two men.
"Stop!" she screamed. "Stop!" Then as she caught the look in the
men's faces as they glared at each other she cried, "I hate you both,
you beasts!"
Her screams carried far in the night air, for in a moment Cesca came
panting up the trail. She lunged at DeWitt with catlike fury, but at a
sharp word from Kut-le she turned to Rhoda and stood guard beside the
girl. Rhoda stood helplessly watching the battle as one watches the
horrors of a nightmare.
Kut-le and DeWitt now were fighting as two wolves fight. Both the men
were trained wrestlers, but in their fury all their scientific training
was forgotten, and rolling over and over on the rocky trail each fought
for a hold on the other's throat. With Kut-le was the advantage of
perfect condition and superior strength. But DeWitt was fighting for
his stolen mate. He was fighting like a cave man who has brooded for
months on his revenge, and he was a terrible adversary. He had the
sudden strength, the fearful recklessness of a madman. Now rolling on
the edge of the terrace, now high against the crumbling pueblo, the
savage and the civilized creature dragged each other back and forth.
And Rhoda, awed by this display of passions, stood like the First Woman
and waited!
Of a sudden Kut-le disentangled himself and with knees on DeWitt's
shoulders he clutched at the white man's throat. At the same time,
DeWitt gathered together his recumbent body and with a mighty heave he
flung Kut-le over his head. Rhoda gave a little cry, thinking the
fight was ended; but as Kut-le gained his feet, DeWitt sprang to meet
him and the struggle was renewed. Rhoda never had dreamed of a sight
so sickening as this of the two men she knew so well fighting for each
other's throats with the animal's lust for killing. She did not know
what would be Kut-le's course if he gained the mastery, but as she
caught glimpses of DeWitt's face with its clenched teeth and terrible
look of loathing she knew that if his fingers ever reached Kut-le's
throat the Indian could hope for no mercy.
And then she saw DeWitt's face go white and his head drop back.
"Oh!" she screamed. "You've killed him! You've killed him!"
The Indian's voice came in jerks as he eased DeWitt to the ground.
"He's just fainted. He's put up a tremendous fight for a man in his
condition!"
As he spoke he was tying DeWitt's hands and ankles with his own and
DeWitt's handkerchiefs. Rhoda would have run to DeWitt's aid but
Cesca's hand was tight on her arm. Before the girl could plan any
action, Kut-le had turned to her and had lifted her in his arms. She
fought him wildly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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