Before the blow could fall, Billy had seized both the woman's wrists.
"Come on, old girl, cut it out," he said appeasingly.

"You're in wrong.
She ain't done nothin'." Then the woman did a strange thing.

Making no resistance, but maintaining her hold on the girl's hair, she stood still and calmly began to scream.

The scream was hideously compounded of fright and fear.
Yet in her face was neither fright nor fear.

She regarded Billy coolly and appraisingly, as if to see how he took it--her scream merely the cry to the clan for help.
"Aw, shut up, you battleax!" Bert vociferated, trying to drag her off by the shoulders.
The result was that The four rocked back and forth, while the woman calmly went on screaming.