The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-06-04
THE PERIL
OF MADAME.
A Story of Love and
Intrigue. .......
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81 insist, madame" said Amantor
Pasha, his eyes burning with anger
and the passion which possessed him.
"And why refuse me? l love you be-
yond reason. l have never loved as l
love you. Everything you can desire
shall be yours, Sophronia"
''Call me madame" replied beauti-
full woman, with face of classic pro-
file, surveying the almost frenzied
pasta with cold contempt which ag-
gravated both his fury and his desire.
II have already told you, pasha, that
decline to share your affections with
the so or more estimable ladies of your
harem."
"Then you have been playing with
me, madame" growled the pasta. "You
have led me to think you were not in
different to me. And here, in Illutza, l
am master, and you shall not leave Il
lutza except to become my wife," Here
he took q stride toward her as If he
would seize her there and then and
carry her off.
take carer She spoke in. a low,
clear, unmoved tone "a step nearer,
and you are dead man. l carry a re-
volver. l can hit the ace of hearts at
20 yards. MY nerve is good; my hand
is steady. Any violence, and the next
second Amantor Pasha is corpse"
He stood stock still. Her GOODNESS
Gained him, conquered his rage. but
infiamed his admiration.
"As the English say, you are a cool
hand" he remarked. To himself he
thought: 81 will have her now at all
COSTS What bride for pasha! What
nerve! What resource! With her,
who knows, l might be grand vizier-
sultan even"
And he was perhaps not far wrong
Madame was of many shifts. 1t was
she who in the great South African
war had been a spy of fame. Courted
by the highly placed and susceptible in
the British camp in various parts of
South Africa, she had kept Paul Kru-
ger and Cronje and Christian De Wet
and Erasmus informed of all that was
doing in the English army. Her ma
tionality was matter of guesswork.
Some said she was French, others Rus
sian, but she was known as Madame"
par excellence.
81 will take my leave now, madame"
said the pasta, drawing his handsome
Co.. 10 %c Full hnf evD fl111f
shall marry me-"
"a very good morning to your excel
lency," said Sophronia Valoffsky, with
a hooking nod. "but l shall not marry
you"
The pasha withdrew, with never
word more, and two minutes later
there was a, clatter of horses on the
roadway as he and his staff galloped
off up the little street.
"Bahr murmured Sophronia as she
peeped out at him through the jalou-
sizes. mot a bad looking man either
and sits his horse we'll" Turning
from the window, Sophronia Valoffsky
contemplated her face and figure In a
huge mirror which stretched from floor
to ceiling on one side of the apartment,
and then, snatching up leather head
ed baton, she struck smartly a large
gong. 1t was almost Immediately an
swered.
Bring me my hooded fur cloak at
once, Iona" said madame, "and cloak
yourself as well, for shall want you"
Madame went to a sideboard and
poured herself out a liqueur, while she
lit the daintiest of dainty cigarettes.
She had not blown half dozen whiffs
of smoke when Iona returned and
quickly enveioped her mistress In the
warm cloak.
"Sklavatz is to be found today, Lo-
nap
Eyes, gracious mistress; at the vel
low khan In the lower town."
"Then conduct me there. No time is
10 be lost. My liberty Is threatened,
Iona, and may be gone from me at
any moment" AS she spoke Nine. Va.
loffsky stepped toward the jalousie.
"Hist, Lonal There is body of Turk
ish soldiers coming down the hill es-
corting a closed carriage. Bolt and
barricade the front door while | run by
the back"
Iona, having done her work, rushed
after her mistress. She knew the Mac
adonian town thoroughly and led ma
dame by devious and intricate turnings
to battle pursuit Besides, the twilight
had begun to deepen, and rain was
falling and threatening to fall heavily.
At last they reached the lower town,
and. again pursuing windings seeming
ly interminable, they at last passed up
a narrow passage to where, underneath
an ancient Roman wall, bright light
issued forth from a large interior.
1.-The khan-the yellow khan," whis-
pered Iona beneath her breath. Nine
Valoffsky sighed sigh Of relief. and
her gait assumed it's wonted undulating
grace as she stepped forward toward
the open front of the khan or rude Inn
A number Of men in the garb of the
Macedonian mountaineer were sitting
within, carousing out Of drinking
horns, TESTING and laughing loudly. A
dead silence fell on them all as Sophro-
MIA valoffsky stepped forward and
stood calmly facing them, a dream OF
beauty = so she seemed to those stall
wart fellows - while Iona quietly, as
became the waiting woman, took her
place a little to the left of madame.
"Where is Sklavatz?" said madame,
with clear, bell-like, penetrating voice.
"Sklavatz, your excellency! He is
Within" said one of the men. "Skla-
yatz! Sklavatzp'
Instantly tall. handsome, splendidly
made Macedonian stepped from the In
terror Of the khan and raised his hat
high in a not ungraceful salute.
"At your service. gracious lady" said
he. "Pray, what are your commands
Sophronia then drew from the folds
of her dress a small leather letter hold
er, from which she took a document,
which she handed to Sklavatz. He pc
rused it, his interest rising as he read.
Then he folded it and handed it back,
with an air of great devotion and In
creased Difference.
Can l speak with you alone% she
asked.
Come with me, madame" And he
led her into an interior apartment.
Quickly she told him Of the peril which