If he went down into the depths he would drag
with him the fairest treasure he had coveted in all his years of lust
and desire.
"A word with you," he said in an aside to Beverly, as she came from the
council-chamber, in which she felt she should not sit. She stopped and
faced him. Instinctively she looked to see if he bore evidence of a
wound. She was positive that her bullet had struck him the night before,
and that Marlanx was the man with the cloak.
"Well?" she said coldly. He read her thoughts and smiled, even as his
shoulder burned with pain.
"I will give you the chance to save yourself. I love you. I want you. I
must have you for my own," he was saying.
"Stop, sir! It may be your experience in life that women kneel to you
when you command. It may be your habit to win what you set about to
win. But you have a novel way of presenting your _devoire_, I must
say. Is this the way in which you won the five unfortunates whom you
want me to succeed? Did you scare them into submission?"
"No, no! I cared nothing for them. You are the only one I ever loved--"
"Really, Count Marlanx, you are most amusing," she interrupted, with a
laugh that stung him to the quick." You have been unique in your
love-making. I am not used to your methods. Besides, after having known
them, I'll confess that I don't like them in the least. You may have
been wonderfully successful in the past, but you were not dealing with
an American girl.
Pages:
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299