But his
recklessness and love of adventure having led him so far, it was now
too late to retract or to reconsider the risks he might possibly be
running. He therefore took the quill and dipped it into the crimson
drop that welled from that soft white flesh.
"This is the strangest ink I have ever used!" he said lightly,--"but--
at your command, Madame----!"
"At my command," rejoined Lotys, "your use of it shall make your oath
indelible!"
He smiled, and wrote his name boldly 'Pasquin Leroy' and held out the
pen for his companions to follow his example.
"Ach Gott!" exclaimed Max Graub, as he dipped the pen anew into the
vital fluid from a woman's veins--"I write my name, Madame, in words of
life, thanks to your condescension!"
"True!" she answered,--"And only by your own falsehood can you change
them into words of death!"
Signing his name 'Max Graub,' he looked up and met her searching gaze.
Something there was in the magnetic depth of her eyes that strangely
embarrassed him, for he stepped back hastily as though intimidated.
Axel Regor took the pen from his hand, and wrote his name, or rather
scrawled it carelessly, almost impatiently,--showing neither hesitation
nor repugnance to this unusual method of subscribing a document.
"You are acting on compulsion!" said Lotys, addressing him in a low
tone; "Your compliance is in obedience to some other command than ours!
And--you will do well to remain obedient!"
Axel Regor gave her an amazed glance,--but she paid no heed to it, and
binding her arm with her kerchief, let her long white sleeve fall over
it.
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