The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-31
The Beautiful White Devil.
Confined From Page Seven.
.And did he never susnect?,s


''And did he never suspect?s
e'No, indeed. To tell the truth,
doubt if he knows to this day how close
the Beautiful White Devil really was to
him. Yet one moment S hesitation might
have cost me my life. Another time I
attended a viceregal ball in Colombo in
the capacity Of an heiress from England.
In the middle Of the evening the partner
with whom was dancing, young in
epector of police, apologized for having
to leave me. He said he had received
information concerning the Beautiful
White Devil, who was known to be in
the town. During supper he had been
telling me about his prospects and the
girl who was coming out from England
to marry him when he got his step. 1t
will be good thing for you if you catch
this woman, won't it?' inquired. It
will get me promotion, and that will
mean the greatest happiness Of my life
my marriage! he answered Won't
you wish me luck?' Ibid wish him luck
and then went off to dance the lancers
with his excellency the governor.
"Do you think it wise to run such
awful risks?'' I asked, amazed at her
audacity.
Perhaps not, but in that particular
case could not help myself. stood in
need of some important information
and could trust nobody to obtain it but
Ayself.'
SIT must have been terrible FIVE
minutes for you.
II expect you have been told some
very curious stories about me, DR.. De
Normanville:" my companion said after
i little while. 81 wish could induce
you to tell me what you have heard.
Believe me, have very good reason for
Wanting you to know the truth about
me-"
That is easily told, . ] answered. "I
have heard a great many variations Of
the same story, but knowing how news
travels out here have placed very lit
tie credence in any of Them
You have heard perhaps about the
sultan of Surabaya9''
intimated that had.
cat first you must have thought that
rather cruel action on my part And
yet if you knew all your blame would
probably turn to admiration. You do
not know perhaps what character that
man bore in his own state, the life he
led, his excuses, his constant crimes,
his tyranny over his unfortunate SUBJ
5ects. I tell you, sir, that that man was
and is one Of the greatest scoundrels
upon the face Of this earth. Ihad heard
over and over again of him, and when
! discovered that his people could OBJ
tain no redress for their grievances
determined to meet him on his own
ground. arranged my plans according
~, abducted him, made him disgorge
large sum Of money, half Of which I
caused to be anonymously distributed
among the poor wretches he had robbed,
and at the same time told him his char
acter for the first and only time in his
heather existence promising him as I
did SO that if he did not mend his ways
I'd catch him again and silence him
forever. Punishment was surely never
more fifty earned. Then there was a
merchant in Hongkong named Vesey.
expect you have heard of him and the
trick played him. Well, that man
made an assertion about me in public
place to the effect that I was But
never mind what it was It was SO vile
that cannot repeat it to you, but
made a vow I would be revenged on
him for it sooner or later. was re-
venged, and in the only way he could
be made to feel-that is, through his
banker. He will never forgive me, Of
course. Now, what else have you
heard?''
pardon my abiding to it, / said,
ssbut-the Vectis Queen-the Oodna-
data
$50 you have heard Of those affairs?
Well, I do not deny them. I must have
money. Look at the expenses have to
meet. Look at this boat-think Of the
settlement | maintain, of the hundreds
OF pensioners I have all through the
east, of the number Of people whose
services it is necessary for me to retain.
And pray do not misunderstood me. To
you it may seem that such transactions
make me neither more nor less than a
thief-a common cheat and swindler.
In your eyes may be that, but must
own ] do not look upon it in the same
light myself. am, and have been all
my life. at war with what you call So
ciety. The reason may perhaps explain
to you some day. know the risk run.
If society catches me, in all probability
49,
that, and am naturally resolved not
to be caught.
"One thing is certain-I prey only on
those who can afford to lose, and, like
the freebooters Of romance, make it
my boast that I have never knowingly
robbed poor man, while, on the other
hand, have materially assisted many.
There are those of conrsa who i11doe mr.