The shock of feeling
brought his eyes to hers with a sudden burning mastery. For an instant
their looks fused and were lost in a passionate affiance. Then, as if
pulling himself out of a dream, he released her fingers with a
"Pardon--my child!"
As he did so, a cry ran through the smithy. Madelinette was standing,
tense and set with terror, her eyes riveted on something that crouched
beside a pile of cart-wheels a few feet away; something with shaggy head,
flaring eyes, and a devilish face. The thing raised itself and sprang
towards hers with a devouring cry. With desperate swiftness leaping
forward, Valmond caught the half man, half beast--it seemed that--by the
throat. Madelinette fell fainting against the anvil, and, dazed and
trembling, Elise hurried to her.
Valmond was in the grasp of a giant, and, struggle as he might, he could
not withstand the powerful arms of his assailant. They came to their
knees on the ground, where they clutched and strained for a wild minute,
Valmond desperately fighting to keep the huge bony fingers from his neck.
Suddenly the giant's knee touched the red-hot steel that Madelinette had
dropped, and with a snarl he flung Valmond back against the anvil, his
head striking the iron with a sickening thud.
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