Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-08-03
THE PERIL
OF MADAME.
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A Story of Love and
Intrigue. ......

Ao@O~O~OAOdO~ 80 80 80 ACN
81 insist, madame" said Amantor
Pasha, his eyes burning with anger
and the passion which possessed him.
"And why refuse me? | love YOU be-
yond reason. | have never loved as /
love you. Everything you can desire
shall be yours, Sophronia."
Call me madame" replied a bcauti-
full woman, with face of classic pro-
file surveying the almost frcnzcd
paSha with cold contempt which az
gravated both his fury and his desire
Il have already told you. pasha, that |
decline to share your affections with
the 80 or more eStimablc ladies of your
harem."
"Thcn You have been playing with
me, madame" growled the pasha. you
have led me to think You were not in
different to me. And here. in Illutza. |
am master, and you shall not leave H.
lutZa except to become my wife" Here
he took Il stride toward her as if lie
would seize her there and then and
carry her off.
clear, unmovcd tone. "A step nearer.
and you are dead man. l carry re-
volver. I can hit the ace of hearts ut
20 yards. My nerve is good; my hand
is steady. Any violence, and the next
second AmantOr Pasha is a corpse
He stood stock still. Her coolncSs
calmed him, conquered his rage, but
inflamed his admiration.
LAS the English say. you are a cool
hand" he remarked. TO himself he
thought: Il will have her now at all
costs. What a bride for pasha. What
nerve! What resource! With her,
who knows, | might be grand vizier-
sultan evenr'
And he was perhaps not far wrong.
Madame was of many shifts. 1t was
she who in the great South African
war had been Il 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 a matter of guesswOrk.
Some said she was French, others Rus
sian, but she was known as Madame"
par excellence.
Il will take my leave now, madame"
said the pasha, drawing his handsome
form up to its full height, but you
shall marry me-"
"A very good morning to your excel
lency," said Sophronia -Naloffsky, with
a mocking nod. "but shall not marry
you"
The paSha withdrew, with never n
word more. and two minutes later
there was clatter of horses on the
roadway as he and his staff galloped
off up the little street.
BAH" murmured Sophronia as she
peepcd out at him through the jalou-
sizes. Not 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 OH one side of the apartment,
and then. snatching up leather head
ed baton, she struck Smartly large
gong. 1t was almost Immediately an
swercd.
Bring me my hooded fur cloak at
once. Iona" said madame, land cloak
yourself as well, for shall want you"
Madame went to a sideboard and
poured herself out n liqueur, while she
lit the dainticst of dainty cigarettes.
She had not blown half a dozen whiffs
of smoke when Iona returned and
quickly envcloped her mistress in the
warm cloak.
"Sklavatz Is to be found today, Lo-
mar"
"Yes, gracious mistress; at the yel-
low khan In the lower town."
"Then conduct me there. No time is
to 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, Iona! 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,