He struck her with his fist, and she fell. He fell on her; and when she began to revive, he held her on the ground and struck her face again and again until she lay still. Then he drew back from her and gripping the hem of her skirt ripped it up to her breasts. Supporting his own weight, he let himself gently down upon her. She was so soft; she was so clean. What had disarmed her husband’s desire gave heat to Alonzo’s. As if he were a puppet in a play that had been written long ago, of which he had no knowledge and over which he had no control, he took her then as his prize, although there was no glory in it for him, for she lay as if dead. As he thrust himself into her below, he clamped his mouth over her slack, sleeping lips, and dropped tears of lust and terror on her face.

19

She came to herself, hearing the barking of dogs.

She was cold.

She was on the ground.

Why was she on the ground?

Automatically, she reached to pull her clothes about her, and so discovered that they were in rags. As she sat up and tried to gather herself and her clothes together, she began to remember what had happened, and she began to scream.

Roman was the one to find her. Hearing her, he ran into the clearing, a lantern swinging from one hand, the other hand shielding his eyes from the lantern that had lighted his way and now prevented him from seeing her. She was crouched over her knees, suddenly quiet.

The lantern he set down on the ground beside her showed him the state of her clothes. He threw the quilt he carried around her, and she drew it tight before she looked up and recognized him. “Roman.”

“We missed you hours ago—we’ve all been looking everywhere!”

Her arms reached for him, losing the quilt, and he dropped to his knees and held her. “Are you hurt, my Sarah?”

In a raw, quick jumble of words she told him what had happened. The barking of the dogs came louder, and presently they were surrounded by men from Oaks and Beulah Land. Floyd was there, and a minute later Bruce Davis and Driscoll Proctor. Proctor tried to quiet the dogs. Bruce called for his horse to be brought up, and when it was, he mounted, and Sarah was lifted by Floyd to ride in front of the saddle. Then Floyd led the horse out of the clearing and back toward Beulah Land. Sarah, who had been given a large drink of brandy, lay limp against Bruce and the horse, making no effort to speak.

Roman walked with Floyd and whispered to him what Sarah had said in the few moments they were by themselves before the larger party came.